The Cross of Fate
by sendplayer
Summary: After unforeseen circumstances, Lissa is forced to escape her own kingdom with an infant Lucina. Knowing that they are being pursued by the Grimleal, she hides Lucina's identity from her and takes refuge in a mountain village. However, even deprived of knowledge of her lineage, Lucina cannot avoid the burden of destiny. FE13 AU and pretty OOC. Updates every Sunday (hopefully)!
1. Broken Promises

Lissa's protests shook the walls of the throne room. "But Chrom!" she exclaimed desperately, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists. "I can _help_ you! You _know_ that Ricken taught me how to use magic, and even Robin said that I was an exceptional mage!" Tears began cloud her silver eyes.

Chrom voiced his reply with unwavering resolve. "No. There's no way you're coming with us. Validar is dangerous…and now, he has the Fire Emblem. I don't care how strong you are, I won't allow you to be put in that kind of danger."

"I'll be okay! I swear it! I can protect myself. I promise I won't do anything stupid, I—"

Lissa's pleas were suddenly interrupted by her brother's warm embrace, Chrom's war-hardened biceps softening into gentle arms as he wrapped them tight around his younger sister. Her head was pushed against his chest and she listened to the rhythmic thumping of his heartbeat. They stood like this for a few moments, Chrom's warm, deep breaths contrasting his sister's unsteady inhales. In the silence, Lissa tried to match her erratic breaths with his cadenced heartbeat.

Chrom's voice broke the silence. "I'm sorry Lissa," he said slowly, as if this speed gave his words more weight. He broke away from his embrace, depriving Lissa of the calming metronome of his heart. He lightly gripped her shoulders and looked into her reddened eyes, which threatened to leak tears at any moment. "I know how capable you are. You're strong and kind and selfless…just like Emm…" He had to pause after speaking their sister's name; neither could accept that she was gone, even two years after the fact. "But I still can't let you come." He continued before Lissa could protest. "I've lost so much, Lissa. So many of my friends are gone because I was an incompetent leader. I couldn't protect them. Even…even Sumia…" his wife's name just barely escaped his lips before he had to pause again, the memory of a Risen soldier's spear piercing through her body fresh in his mind. "I couldn't even protect her. And now Lucina will have to grow up without a mother. I keep losing people, Lissa, because I'm weak." His voice remained collected and controlled, but Lissa could almost see the sobs that begged for release. "I can't lose you, too."

He released his hands from her shoulders and hung his head down, heavy breaths escaping his lungs. Unable to argue, Lissa conceded defeat. "I…I'll stay here then," she said softly. "I understand. But please…please be careful. I need you to return here. I need you to win."

Chrom lifted his head to look at his little sister, quickly wiping the remnants of tears from his eyes. He smiled, and his once crying eyes shone with determination. "Who do you think I am, Lissa?" he said, "of course I'll win!"

The Shepherds set off for the Dragon's Table the next evening. As Lissa helped Robin prepare a horse for travel, she couldn't help but notice an important figure absent from the party. "Where's Chrom?" she asked as Robin finished strapping on a saddle.

"He said that he needed to get something important and ran back into the castle." Robin noticed the uneasy expression on Lissa's face and did her best to quell it with a comforting smile. "Don't worry, Chrom is a strong leader. He'll be okay, and you can trust me to watch his back. We'll grind my bastard father into dust."

Lissa's only response was a weak smile. She trusted Robin, that was true enough, but she knew how dangerous Validar was. How a single command transformed their loyal tactician into a mindless puppet. What if something went wrong? What if Validar could take Robin again? What if…no. Lissa _had_ to put her faith in Robin. She had always been by her brother's side before (so much so that she was surprised that he proposed to Sumia rather Robin) and she had never done anything to betray the trust that the siblings put into her the moment they found her lying in that field. "Thank you, Robin," Lissa said, "make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." They laughed as they finished preparing the horse.

Lissa and Robin were checking their inventory for a final time when Chrom returned, the infant Lucina swaddled in his arms. "Lissa," he said softly, sure not to wake his sleeping daughter. "Please, take care of Lucina while I'm away." Gently, he set her in his sister's arms. She looked down at her niece, smiling yet envious of her peaceful state. Chrom turned to Robin. "Are all of the preparation complete?"

"Yes, we're ready to move out."

The army huddled at the castle's gaping entrance, and Lissa bade goodbye one final time. "Promise me, Chrom. Promise me that you'll come back, for both my sake and Lucina's."

"I promise, Lissa." Chrom grinned and moved close and patted her on the head, ruffling her bright blonde hair. Then, he leaned down over Lucina, still deep in slumber cradled in her aunt's arms, and gently kissed her forehead. "Dad will be home soon, Lucina. He's gonna make sure you'll grow up in a peaceful, beautiful world. I promise." Then he turned, his smile steeling into a face of determination and his voice hardening from a coddling father's to a stern commander's. "Let's move out!"

And Lissa watched as they rode off into the orange of the sunset, standing at the entrance with Lucina in her arms until they were taken by the horizon and the sounds of trotting horses faded into nothingness. As she turned to go back into the castle, Lucina awakened, and, upon realizing she was not snuggled in the familiar essence of her room, she began to cry. Lissa did her best to calm her. "Shh, it's gonna be alright!" She rocked her back and forth as she walked into the castle's main hall. "Your dad's out saving the world, you know!" She took a seat in her room, which was warmed by the dim embers of a fireplace. Over loud wails, Lissa told Lucina the stories of old, of how the Hero-King Marth saved the world from darkness, of his beautiful pegasus-riding queen, of the men and women who followed him and made his kingdom strong. "You'll grow up to be just like him, Lucina. You'll lead your people to greatness." Her whining diminished into whimpers and soon she fell back asleep. Lissa set her down in her crib, watching Lucina's consciousness drift away. "You'd better not let her down, Chrom."

—

With each passing day, Lissa prayed for her brother's safe return. Lucina was a bit of a handful at times (much like her father, Lissa thought), but she could always be calmed down with a story by the hearth. The young princess was full of energy and loved crawling around the castle grounds, but as soon as Lissa carried her into her room, she never fussed. That is, until tonight.

Day after day, Lissa remained hopeful that the Shepherds would return home safely, but soon enough, days turned into weeks, and weeks became a month. Lissa was filled with doubt. She knew the journey to the Dragon's Table was treacherous and the battle with Validar would be no easy task, but not even a message sent back to her? She couldn't help but feel that something was wrong. And Lucina seemed to sense it, too; despite Lissa's fanatical retellings of the legends of the warring countries Hoshido and Nohr, the baby just couldn't seem to settle down. She kicked and screamed and cried, unwilling to listen to her aunt's stories. Lissa didn't know what to do. She cradled the baby tightly, rocking her back and forth amidst a shower of "shhs" and "it's okays". Lucina surely missed the sound of her father's voice, Lissa knew…she missed him, too. Lucina screamed even louder, her eyes screwed shut and leaking with wet tears. It didn't help when a servant slammed the door open, the loud sound of wood banging wood scaring the baby into an even harsher cry.

"Your highness!" the servant gasped. Her hair was flying in all directions, she panted hard, and beads of sweat ran down her pale face. "There's…there's someone in the main hall," she managed to get out between heaving breaths, "he looks awful. He was…he was begging t-to see you. Gods he looked so awful…there was…there was _blood_ …" Exasperated, the servant was unable to finish her sentence.

Lissa's mind was racing. She had wished for a message…but was this the message she wanted? She took in a deep breath and stood from her seat, holding out the crying Lucina and gesturing the servant to take her. "Watch over her for me," she said. The servant nodded and dashed out of the room.

The castle seemed so much bigger as she raced down the hallway and descended the winding stairs. _Was it bigger,_ Lissa thought to herself, _or just emptier?_ The absence of people was haunting, and she suddenly felt overwhelmed by her newly perceived smallness. It felt dark. Even in her own home, she felt as if something ominous loomed in the halls, churning her insides, stalking her. _Focus_. She had to get to the main hall…she could not be distracted by superficial fear.

Besides, once she reached her destination, she felt a fear much less superficial.

A man (could he even be called that? He looked more boyish to Lissa) lay on the ground, surrounded by terrified servants. Crimson stained the floor around him, the pool around his body expanding with every passing second. His brown hair was a mess and his skin was covered in grime. His once blue robe had been stained red. He was unrecognizable to Lissa, but as his eyes locked with hers, he smiled slightly and, struggling to push himself up into a sitting position, a weak "Lissa…" was said with an unmistakable voice.

Her eyes widened as she ran to the young man and kneeled next to him. "RICKEN!" she shouted, panic now controlling her every movement. She grabbed her staff and tried to heal him, but he put a hand up to stop her.

"Lissa…don't. It's…it's not worth the effort. I'm hurt far…far beyond any staff's repair…"

"Ricken, what happened?!" her breaths were uneven, still in disbelief. "Please… _please_ , you have to tell me! Where is everyone?"

Ricken struggled to breath as he clutched at the gash on his chest that Lissa could only assume was the source of his bleeding. "Chrom…he sent me back here…to warn you. I was attacked by Risen on the way back and…and they got me. _Gods_ , it _hurts_."

Lissa's confusion was obvious. "Ricken, I don't understand…warn me about what?" But before he could even respond, she noticed what was strapped onto his back. A glaive laid dormant in its sheath, its hilt adorned with glistening gold. _Falchion_. "Ricken…what happened to my brother?"

Gritting his teeth, he reluctantly answered. "I'm…sorry Lissa. Robin…Robin…"

" _What_ about Robin?!"

Ricken couldn't even bear to look her in the eye. "She killed him, Lissa. Robin killed Chrom."


	2. Last Wish

**Author's Note:** I know I said I would update on Sundays, but it didn't feel right to leave the first chapter on a cliffhanger… so here's the second chapter of _The Cross of Fate_! It's honestly been a ton of fun writing this, and considering I haven't written fics in a while (this is actually my second fanfiction account lol) I think I'm getting back into it really smoothly. Hopefully you all enjoy this chapter…idk why I made Lissa such a mom, but I sorta like it. Reviews are always appreciated!

Lissa was unsure of what had shaken her more – Ricken's state or his words. Seeing she was unable to say anything, Ricken continued to speak. "Please, Lissa…please listen to me. I saw them. I saw Chrom and Robin rush Validar, and they were winning. Gods, they were beating the _shit_ out of that bastard. But then Validar did something…I don't know what…but it changed something in Robin. Her eyes turned red and she was surrounded by some…some _dark_ energy. It…it _consumed_ her. And then…and then…" Ricken could barely bring himself to continue. His voice was shaking, and his thoughts clouded his head. He felt tired and his vision blurred. But he would not fail Chrom. He would not fail his captain…his _hero_. "She struck him with some sort of spell, something I've never seen before. I ran to him as fast as I could, but…I was too late. He gave me Falchion…and then told me to go to you. To make sure that Lucina knows that her father left her _something_ , if not himself."

Lissa didn't know what to think. She didn't know what to say. She just wanted to curl up into a ball and die. Perhaps that would cure the pain that pierced her heart. Ricken spoke again, his slurring voice evident that he was dangerously close to death. "Chrom…he wanted me to tell you to get out of here. Take Lucina and leave. You…have to…e-escape. Robin…n-no… _Grima_ knows where you are and she'll come to kill you both. That…was his final request. Leave…and take care of Lucina."

He unstrapped the Falchion from his shoulder and handed it over to Lissa, who was still at a loss for words. _Maybe,_ she said to herself, _I can slit my throat with the blade and end this._ She caught herself. _No…no. I have to protect Lucina._ She nodded her head. "I will do whatever it takes to see that my brother's final wish is fulfilled."

The grimace of Ricken's face upturned into the smallest of smiles. "Thank…thank you Lissa," using the last of his strength, he fell back onto the ground. Lissa caught his head before it could hit the floor. "I'm…I'm so sorry Lissa. I-I…I'm so weak…" his vision was fading to blurs of white, and coughs perpetually interrupted his words. "I couldn't even deliver one message without getting myself hurt." His breaths became more and more inconsistent.

"That's not true!" Lissa said, "You did everything you could. Thank you…thank you so much, Ricken." She began to weep.

Ricken smiled, and with the last of his breath, whispered, "It was…my pleasure Lissa. I…hope I…did Chrom…proud…" His eyelids slowly shut, and Lissa felt his body go limp in his arms.

Lissa wanted to believe everything that Ricken said was a lie…everything about Robin, about Grima, about Chrom…it couldn't have been true! But that kind of disbelief would disrespect Ricken's sacrifice. And, as much as she rejected the thought, seeing Ricken here, bloodied, beaten, and now dead, she knew in the deepest, darkest corner of her heart that his words held merit. Past her sobbing, she had to force herself to accept it. Releasing Ricken's body from her grasp, she whispered, "Say hi to my brother for me, okay?"

She stood up and turned to the castle staff. "You all heard him!" That's right. If Chrom was gone, that meant that she was to serve as the next exalt. "From this moment on, I relieve you all from your duties. As the new exalt, I command that you all leave here…take your families and run." Despite her confident façade, there was a recognizable nervousness in her voice. Lissa never expected to take on the role of exalt, especially not in a situation as dire as this.

The loyal staff quietly obeyed, escaping through the front entrance…the same one that condemned the Shepherds to their cruel fates. After ensuring that all the servants left, she ran up the stairs back to Lucina's room, relieving her final servant from her duties (who was happy to oblige as Lucina hadn't calmed down at all). She swaddled Lucina in warm blankets and packed a knapsack with a few changes of clothes for the both of them, staves, tomes, and money. Strapping both the sword and bag onto her back, she wrapped her arms around Lucina, whose cries echoed louder than ever, as if she knew that her father had broken his promise to return. She ran down to the kitchens to pack a few non-perishable foods and walked into a cellar for food storage. The room was dark and dusty, but Lissa knew of a secret passageway that led out of the castle from there; she had often used it to sneak out to watch her brother when he practiced sparring with Frederick. Pushing a few shelves revealed a small trapdoor on the grimy wooden floor and Lissa carefully maneuvered the sobbing Lucina so that both could fit through at the same time. She descended the ladder, careful not to let the weight on her back pull her down. Upon reaching the dirt floor of the passage, which was even darker than the cellar, she pulled out a fire tome and allowed the warm flames to flicker around her hand, providing light.

This seemed to calm Lucina, as she gaggled at the sight of fire dancing across Lissa's palms. And thus, the exalt and the princess treaded down their path, unsure of what awaited them in the future.

—

Lucina was beginning to look so much like her father. Her dark blue hair, her deep sea colored eyes, and even her caring (yet reckless) personality so resembled Chrom's. But she would never learn who her father was; Lissa made sure of that. As far as Lucina knew, she was the child of two poor farmers who lived just outside of their village. Both were killed in a Risen raid, but miraculously left her infant self untouched. Lissa, her father's sister, had apparently taken care of her since.

Lissa could not allow Lucina to know her true identity. If Grima had truly possessed Robin, then she would know about Lucina, and the brand that shone through her left eye would paint a target on her back. Ricken had warned her that Grima aimed to kill Lucina, and Lissa felt that concealing her birthrights from her was best way to keep her safe. Besides, the less people who knew, the better.

Lissa worked as waitress at the village's local tavern…the owner offered her a place to stay in return for her service. The village was quite small but was secluded by mountains—it seemed like the perfect place to hide from a demon. It had been difficult to traverse such terrain with Risen in pursuit and a baby to protect, but after nearly eighteen years undisturbed, Lissa believed it was definitely worth it.

It was a bright and sunny day, and Lissa was cleaning the counters of the tavern when she heard Lucina stepping down the stairs from their room. "Aunt Lissa!" she said excitedly, ginning widely.

She smiled back softly. "Yes, dear?"

"I want to help you run errands today!" Ah, typical Lucina, always willing to help in whatever way she could. Or maybe…

"This isn't another one of your plans to go to market again, is it?" The village didn't have a market of it own since it was so small, so it and a few of the surrounding villages nearby had collaborated to create a central market. It wasn't terribly far from the village, but it was still quite a ways away from the seclusion they called home. Lissa would always go by herself, leaving Lucina behind.

The sudden rush of red to Lucina's face confirmed Lissa's suspicions. "Lu," (a nickname was inevitable if she wanted to conceal her identity, although the name "Lucina" was still appropriate to use in private) "it's dangerous out there. I don't want you to get hurt…unfortunately not everyone is as kind-hearted as you. There are people who could steal you away, take advantage of you…" Lissa couldn't bring herself to say "kill you."

"I'm eighteen, Aunt Lissa. Surely I can go to market without getting myself hurt. I can protect myself!" Oh, how she reminded Lissa of herself.

"No, and that's final. If you want to help me run errands, you can start by helping here in the tavern."

Lucina begged one final time. " _Please_ , Aunt Lissa. I've never left this village. Not once in my life! I want to see the world, I don't want to be stuck here for the rest of my life. I'm begging you, just this one, _please_ let me go to market."

Sighing, Lissa once again conceded defeat. Like father, like daughter, she reasoned. "Okay. Just this once, you may go to market." Lucina's face lit with joy. "However, you must be back before sundown, is that clear? Stay on the marked pathways and _do not_ stray. Do you promise?"

Smiling, Lucina replied, "Yes! I promise!"

—

Lissa had walked with Lucina to the path to market, equipping her with a wallet, a bag, and a list of things to purchase. Lucina was beaming the entire time, grateful for this one opportunity of freedom from the shielded village. Lissa required her to wear a patch over her left eye—she explained that the brand was the result of some kind of disease that could become inflamed if it were to come in contact with the pollen from plants in the area—and gave her a long blue cloak to shield her from the cold.

"Be careful," Lissa said, worry lacing her voice. "Stay on the path and be home before the sun sets."

Lucina stepped in to hug her aunt. "Of course," she comforted her, hoping her words could ail her worries. "I'll be fine. Just have a little bit of faith in me."

Lissa watched as her niece strolled off into the horizon, her view of her being cut off from a bend in the road. Faith was something she hadn't had in nearly eighteen years.


	3. Return

**Authors Note:** Hope you guys are ready for some freaky Morgan! Consider yourself warned. Yeah it's _very_ OOC (but the reason why will be explained later I swear) but whatever let me take some creative liberties. Anyway, hope you enjoy! Reviews are always appreciated!

—

The path to the marketplace was clear and straight; the sun shone through the lush green canopies, rays of warmth striking places undisturbed by shadows. Specks of light glistened on Lucina's long, blue hair…it made her seem almost ethereal. She listened to the symphony nature graced we with…the soft choir of sparrows, the mild gale of the wind, the crinkling of crisp leaves beneath her feet. She basked in the gloriousness of the world, which enveloped her in an aura of serenity. The peace of the forested path was so different from the quietness of her village…it was freeing. Peace, Lucina came to realize, held a different meaning outside of her home.

Obeying the request of her anxious aunt, her relishing of the beauty surrounding her was brief, remembering that she had to be home before the sun was whisked away by time. An hour or so had passed before she found any discernable sign of society. And when the horizon receded to reveal the stalls of the marketplace, she could barely believe the sight.

The greens and browns of the forest were suddenly transformed into many whimsical colors, the bright fiery shades of fruits, the spectrum of specialty fabrics. It was like walking into a fairy tale, like one of the stories that her aunt Lissa had told her when she was very young.

She was sure to visit every stall, greeting each vendor with a beaming smile, awe-struck by all of the strange and interesting things on sale. Everyone she met was so kind; the soft-spoken baker let her sample a variety of her breads, the man running the fruit stand gave her an apple for free, and even the little children who ran around screaming as their parents made their keep at the marketplace helped guide Lucina whenever she was unsure of where to find something. Her aunt must have been mistaken—so many people were generous and kind-hearted…perhaps her perspective of the market was skewed.

She saw an older man surrounded by a messy pile of books at one stall, organizing them into shelves. Lucina walked to him. "Sir, would you like any help with that?"

The man looked up. "Oh, would you be so kind? My old back isn't really fit for all this restockin'." He welcomed her behind the counter, and she began to stacking books and sorting them by color. "Are you new 'round these parts?" the man asked, "can't say I recognized you."

Lucina offered a soft smile. "Yes, sir, my name is Lu." She held out her right hand to shake—if there's anything Lissa had drilled into her, it was manners. "I'm from the village just south of here. Well…I've lived there my whole life, but this is the first time I've even been to market. It's so lively here!"

The salesman's hand reciprocated the gesture, gripping her had with his own. "Pleasure to meet you Lu…but how can this be your first visit here? If you've lived in the village your whole life, there's no way you could get the supplies you need…this here's the only market in these mountains!"

Lucina blushed. "Well…I was never allowed to. My aunt Lissa always left me at home when she went to market, she said it was too dangerous for me to come along. I finally convinced her to let me go today. I don't understand her sometimes…the journey here was peaceful, calming even."

The man stroked his chin in apprehension, his eyes turned upwards. "Lissa…Lissa…I know I've heard the name before, but from what…?" In sudden realization, he answered his own queries. "Aha! I know! I've sold her tomes before! I think I remember her talking about a niece. I suppose that must be you." He pointed towards Lucina.

Confused, all she could answer was "Yes, I suppose so…but tomes? What are those?"

Motioning towards the mound of books he was organizing, he explained, "these are no ordinary books I'm selling here. Each one of these are tomes…spells of high magical energy. The ones I have…only people with lots of magical talent can use 'em, like your aunt."

Lucina was shocked. "Like my aunt? I've never even _seen_ a tome in my life, much less watched her use one!"

The salesman shook his head. "Aye, it's like that these days. Ever since Grima rose from the ashes all those years ago, mages have kept quite a low profile. Turns out the Grimleal like to sacrifice them to their god, thinkin' the dragon will feed off of their magical power. Perhaps your aunt's tryna stay out of the Grimleals' sights."

Shuddering, Lucina naturally winced at the sounds of the words "Grima" and "Grimleal," although she did not understand why. They were words that she had never heard before, at least, she couldn't _remember_ hearing them before, and yet the sound of them traveled down her spine, sending a cold, mortifying feeling along her back. She wanted to ask the man more questions, but she remembered that she was expected to be home by sundown. It was already late in the afternoon and she loathed the idea of a scolding, so she finished sorting through her stack of tomes and reluctantly bade the salesman goodbye, reasoning that she could just ask her aunt the questions if her curiosity hadn't dwindled on her way home.

Down the path once more, Lucina retraced her steps, the vibrant color of the market once again reduced to the lush greens and browns of the forest. She soaked in the sights of nature once more, still very much appreciative of the world she never knew. The melody of the sparrows' warbling had ceased, so she looked for something else to entertain her curiosity. Although she knew not to stray into the depths of the forest, she couldn't help but to scan through the shadows, searching for something new to see.

And she saw a strange, golden light, radiating in the dark of the shadows, difficult to make out as its faint glow was partially obscured by broad tree trunks.

Her feet began to move without her consent…yes, she was curious, but Lucina felt compelled to determine the source of the light… _obliged_ to find it. Her muddied boots drifted off of the dirt path, drawn by the light's glow.

—

The churning in Lissa's stomach was becoming unbearable. The last time she watched someone set off like Lucina did, an entire army had been destroyed, crushed under the boot of Grima and his disciples. She scrubbed away at the tavern's counter, soaking up the suds from the aged wood, threatening to scrape off sharp splinters. Her face conveyed her worry, as the tavern's proprietor began to take notice.

"Careful there, Lissa," he said, offering her a smile to calm her, "rub any harder and I don't think we'll have a counter tomorrow."

Embarrassed, Lissa's face flushed a bright red, and she softened her grip on the damp, soapy rag. "I'm sorry, sir. I'm just afraid for Lu."

Laughing, his large hand slapped her back, startling her into a jump. "I wouldn't worry about her if I were you. She's a chip off the old block!"

Her wrinkling frown eased just a bit, but his words offered no consolation; there were too many hypotheticals for her liking. What if Lucina got lost on the path? What if she was stolen by some slaver? What if she was injured? What if…what if Grima…?

Finishing her work in the tavern, she rushed up the stairs into her room. It was small, even a bit dingy: loose floorboards creaked out from their vaults, the wallpaper was ripped and yellowing and curling at the edges. Dank dust filled her lungs. It was impossible for Lissa to believe that a room like this could exist, being surrounded by long, crimson carpets and regal ornaments adorning the walls of the castle all her life. Yet now, this was her home. Its furnishings were also quite modest; a pair of beds sat along walls opposite to each other and a tall but plain vanity stood in between them. What Lissa had never told Lucina about was the door hiding behind the vanity, its dulling knob yearning for some kind of use. Heaving the vanity to the side, careful to avoid splintering her already calloused fingers, she made access to the door. Turning the knob, the door creaked open to reveal a small storage closet filled with things layered in dust, evidence of disuse. Reaching for the top of a stack of tomes, she brushed off the dust, sneezing when it forced her way into her nose. Before turning to leave, sifted through some of the other supplies she had leftover from her journey: a few cracked staves, a vial of half-drunk vulnerary…until she reached the dust-covered sheath of the Falchion. Remembering her brother, she cleaned the dust off, as if it defiled her memory of him. Then, she left, securing the door and repositioning the vanity to bar access to it. She fastened the ends of a cloak around her neck, the scratchy fabric tingling at her legs. The tome she retrieved sat comfortably in an inside pocket, and the weight caused one side to sag.

No, the sun hadn't set just yet, but Lissa needed to go find Lucina. The worry assaulting her gut could not have been for nothing.

—

The faint light grew in intensity with every step Lucina took towards it. She passed through the thicket, its leaves obscuring the rays of sunlight that were drizzled on the path to market. She could not discern the time; there was no way of telling if the sun had set under the trees' canopies. But she didn't care if sunset had creeped upon her. All she knew was that she felt pulled towards this light…it beckoned to her, and despite all her willpower, she was unable to refuse.

She was growing tired, weary from the distance she had travelled off her path, but she felt so close. She _had_ to find the source of that light, it'd _kill her_ if she couldn't.

Her feet stopped. Looking up at where they brought her, she saw a young man, a grin painted wildly across his face. His presence satisfied Lucina's rampant curiosity; in his left hand, bright golden flames licked against his fingers. Catching her breath from her unexpected journey, Lucina scanned the man head to toe, studying his features…especially his hair, which was colored a deep shade of blue identical to her own.

Lucina stepped back in confusion, regaining her senses. She tried to turn around to return to the path, but it was too late. The man approached her, closing the space between them so quickly that she couldn't see his movements, and ripped the patch off of her eye. Her eyes widened in shock, exposing the brand embossed within it for a brief moment before she rose her hand to her face to cover it. The man's grin widened, nearly cackling when his dry voice reached Lucina's ears. "Oh, big sister, I've finally found you!"

Was he _mad_? Lucina could not respond, consumed in shock and confusion. The man grabbed her wrists and pushed her to the trunk of a broad tree, pinning her. The back of her head cracked against the hardened bark, and she released an agonizing shout. The pain stabbed at her skull, and she had to grit her teeth to relieve it. "What…are you doing?" was all that she could manage to ask.

He gave her no answer. Instead, he brought is forehead close to hers, examining her from every angle. "Ha…you look just like mother described! Well, not your mother, of course… _mine_." He got even closer. "Your skin is so soft, the brand glows in your eye…" his obsessive laughter filled the forest. "Look, even our hair's the same! This is amazing!" His grip tightened around her wrists, and although she fought to loosen his fingers, she was unable to move him so.

Doing her best to ignore the ache settling in at the back of her head, Lucina tried steadying her breaths, trying to coax an answer from the man. "Who are you?" she said, her brave tone contradicting the genuine fear overtaking her body. "Why…why are you doing this?"

"Oh, my dear sister Lucina…"

 _How did he know my name?_

"Submit to Grima, and we can be together. Brother and sister, united at last! Oh, just imagine how wonderful that could be!" Shaking, Lucina's panicked expression told the man of her fear. "It's all right! Don't be afraid! I'm taking you with me, and we'll live happily ever after! Morgan and Lucina, together!"

Lucina felt so, so much regret. She imagined being stolen away by a mysterious man, this "Morgan" character, never to see her village again, never to return to the comfort of her aunt's soft, safe embrace. She longed for security, for rescue, for release. What if her imaginations became reality? The thought clawed at her stomach, gripping her insides, and crawled into her heart. Tears ran down her eyes. "No!" she wept, her voice raw with fear. "G-get…get away from me! _Get away!_ "

Morgan looked at her, pity in his eyes. "It's so sad," he said, the sound of his voice invading her ears, "an exalt such as yourself reduced to a commoner. Your brand obscured by a thin piece of cloth, your lineage eluded from you your whole life. Maybe I," the chill of his voice became colder yet, "could help you find your way."

Before Lucina could respond, before she could even ask what weight his words held, she felt his tongue prying into her sealed lips. She cringed back in revulsion. If his words meant anything, if he was really her _brother_ , then _why_ …

Her thoughts were silent, but he still voiced an answer. "Perhaps you'll come with me if I show you how much I love you, my dear sister! I've always wanted to meet you, to return to Grima together! And then, we can be a family!" He continued to force his way into her mouth, gently biting at her lower lip, urging her to consolidate the kiss.

Refusing, she turned head away, tears still trailing down her cheeks. "No! Please…please stop this!"

Morgan backed off, saddened. "Lucina, I don't want to hurt you. Please…" his voice softened to delicacy. "Please come with me."

Her shaking head was all he needed to confirm her refusal. Sighing, he released her wrists, leaving her to slump down the tree trunk onto her knees. She stared at the ground, covering her once-patched eye once again. "I guess I don't have a choice, then," his voice iced back into a chill. Flames reignited in his right hand, but rather than the soft glow that enticed Lucina before, it burned an intense red, circling his entire arm. "I'm sorry, this is for your sake, my sister."

All Lucina could do was wince back and brace for the impact of flame to flesh.


	4. Reunited

**Author's Note:** This chapter is _extremely_ exposition heavy…yeah I know, sorta sucks, but I needed this chapter to happen one way or another in order for the rest of the story to make sense. Anyway, it looks like we'll be getting ready for an adventure! So trust me, this exposition now is just a build up for something much bigger in the future! As always, reviews are always appreciated…I'm always looking for new ways to improve!

—

" _REXCALIBUR!"_ Lissa's voice ripped through the air with the same ferocity as her spell, attacking the man before Lucina before he could engulf her in his flames. He leapt backwards to avoid being blown by its wind, which shook the very trees around them, nearly lifting their roots. Lissa quickly ran to her niece, who was still crouched on the ground, trembling. "Lucina!" she shouted, loud enough to somewhat drown out the sound of violently rustling leaves still shaking from her spell. "Lucina, are you okay? Who is that man? Has he done anything to you?"

No word could leave Lucina's lips. A putrid concoction of numbing pain, sickening revulsion, and utter confusion drenched her heart, turning her insides and destroying her mind. A weak "Morgan" was all that she could voice.

Morgan returned to face both Lissa and Lucina, his dark, umber eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Hmph, mother only said Lucina would be here…but it seems like aunt Lissa has joined the fray, too."

Shielding Lucina with both her body and soul, Lissa gripped at her tome and confronted him. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded, fury tainting her pure voice. "How do you know who we are? Just _what_ are you trying to accomplish here?"

Morgan's shoulders relaxed as he sighed, irritation rising. "I'm only here for Lucina. You've sinned, aunt Lissa. You thought that you could hide from us, from the power of a _god_ …you should be ashamed of yourself, honestly. It is because you've rejected Grima that you've become so weak." He smirked, enjoying the look of confusion spread across Lissa's face. "But unfortunately, I wasn't supposed to cause too much of a commotion. Mother told me to take Lucina straight home without anyone else noticing but looks like that won't be happening now. I guess I need to go…Mother is going to be furious…"

"You _bastard_!" Lissa spat at him. She scanned the man top to bottom, noticing the intricate pattern branded on the back of his right hand. She knew the sigil well…how could she forget that it had also been printed on the hand of the woman who murdered her brother. "You…you're one of the Grimleal! _Who are you_?"

Laughing at the stupidity of her question, he produced a warp staff from a pocket within is velvet cloak. "Isn't it obvious? I'm the exalt's son!" And in an instant, he disappeared.

She returned to Lucina's side. Tears stained the girl's eyes as she hung her head down in shame. "I-I'm so sorry aunt Lissa…" she wept, overcome with guilt. "I don't…I don't even remember wandering off the path! It was…so…so awful…the things he did to me…" her quivering lips seemed to bar her words.

Lissa cradled her niece, her arms wrapping around, enveloping her in warmth. "It's okay…it's okay…" It was reminiscent of eighteen years ago, when he brother left his daughter in her care for the first time, when he marched off to battle as she watched them depart, a small, wailing infant snug in her arms. She slowly rocked Lucina back and forth, just as she did all those years ago, trying to remedy the weeping. Exhausted from her day, Lucina's eyes gave in to weariness and she gradually began to lose consciousness. Even as she drifted into sleep, her breaths were still unsteady, but Lissa only knew one way to calm her. "Once upon a time…a time not too distant from our own, long after the Hero-King's reign, a man, a descendent of Marth, took up the sword to defend the world from darkness. His courage and strength rivaled that of the Hero-King himself, and his ideals were just as honorable. He was loved by his people, and he loved them back…especially his daughter. That man's name…was Chrom."

…but before she could finish, Lucina was swept away into the realm of dreams, incapable of processing the words of her story.

—

Lucina awoke in a chamber of sorts; it was dark, dank, and cold. Only a few open flames from mounted torches brought any light into the room. She was not bound to anything, but she was unable to move, a numbing paralysis seized her body. A cold voice filled the room, and she suddenly wished her legs would cooperate. "Oh, dear sister…" Morgan's voice left her breathless, and she panicked as she realized it was only growing closer. "I'm so glad you could join!" It was strange; his voice seemed so innocent, so pure, almost childlike and filled with a sense of wonder. But his words…they were picked from the devil's tongue. His footstep grew louder as he drew even nearer, and finally, he came into view, a sadistic smile plastered on his face, his eyes wide, and, the object that struck the most fear into her heart, his fingers gripped around the hilt of a sharp dagger. She tried to heave her body off of its back, but her flesh had betrayed her. "This is the temple of Grima, Lucina!" All she could do was steady her breaths as she took in her surroundings; if this was a temple, then she was laying on the altar…and from the knife Morgan held, she deduced that _she_ was to be the sacrifice.

Fortunately, her lips could still move. "What are you trying to do with me?"

"All I want to do is guide you back to Lord Grima," he said. "And the first thing we have to do to get that done," he raised the knife high above his head, aiming the tip at her face, "is get that brand off of you!"

He swung the knife down towards her left eye, but her body still refused to move.

Screaming, Lucina shot up from her bed, breaths heavy. Taking stock of her surroundings, she recognized that she was in her room above the tavern, not in the chambers of her nightmare. Lissa sat at the foot of her bed, her worried expression softening into relief when Lucina had awoken. "A nightmare?"

Still shaken, Lucina nodded. "That man was there…Morgan. I…couldn't move. It was just like before. He did what he wanted, and I couldn't do anything." She brought her knees to her chest, making herself small. "Aunt Lissa…he told me things in the woods. Things I can't understand. About being an exalt, about a brand in my eye. I'm so confused. I just want to know what I am."

Sighing, Lissa rose from the foot of the bed and took a seat on the mattress right next to Lucina. "I really wish you didn't stray off the path," she said, "but I suppose it's forcing me to tell you things I should never have kept hidden from you. Relax for a bit, Lucina. This is a long story."

Lucina sat back into a comfortable position, listening intently.

"Long before you were born, there existed a kingdom known as Ylisse. A neighboring country, Plegia, attacked Ylisse for years, one day assassinating its exalt. Her name was Emmeryn. Emmeryn's younger brother, Chrom, led his ranks into Plegia to defeat its ruler along with his best friend, an amnesiac woman named Robin. They were victorious and heralded an era of peace for all of Ylisse, with Chrom crowned as its rightful ruler. Chrom…he was my brother…and your father, Lucina.

"In that time of peace, he married your mother, a beautiful, pegasus-riding knight named Sumia, and two years later, you were born. My brother…I had never seen him so happy. He had a family at last. But that happiness didn't last very long. Risen were attacking the kingdom from all fronts, and your mother…"

By the uncomfortable way she had paused, Lucina could assume her words. "She was killed in an attack…wasn't she?"

Lissa nodded. "Your father was devastated. But it drove him to find the source of these Risen attacks. For months, we searched for an answer, but what we found was something none of us could believe. The Fell Dragon Grima was slowly regaining power, and his followers, the Grimleal, were led by a man named Validar. He had been sending these Risen troops to attack the people to get to one person…his daughter, Robin. He had some sort of influence over her…he could manipulate her to his bidding…but she could resist it, to an extent. In a final attempt to destroy Validar, your father led his troops to a place called the Dragon's Table, where Grima was to be resurrected. He demanded that I stayed behind to watch over you. So we waited for their return. Days turned into weeks, no messages came, and then, before I even knew it, a month went by. A message finally came, but it was delivered by a beaten, dying man named Ricken. He told me that Validar had taken control of Robin. And Chrom…Robin took him as his first victim." She inhaled the dusty air, trying to bar her tears. "He told us to escape with his dying breaths…he said that Validar would find us if we didn't. So I brought you here to this village, away from your past and, until today, away from Grima."

Lucina was barely able to comprehend her aunt's testimony. Had everything she known been a lie? Was she something more than a simple village girl? She understood that she was given this life to grant her protection from danger, but her aunt's plot had been exposed; was this not the life she was fated to live? Shaking off her confusion, she turned to Lissa. "So…what can we do from here?"

Lissa shook her head. "I'm not sure. I thought my plan was foolproof…I never thought that it would fall out like this…"

"If that man… _Morgan_ …could find us in the middle of the woods, he _has_ to know our location now. I…I don't think it's safe here. We have to leave."

"I know we do…but I'm not sure where we can go. This world has been infested with Grimleal and Risen…there's nowhere to go without being targeted. This continent is shrouded in darkness…except…maybe…" she was deep in thought, weighing her single option. "The Mila Tree. When we traveled across the continent, I met someone who I think can help us. If we go there, we might be safe."

—

Word of the pair's leave saddened the tavern's owner. When Lissa informed him of the situation, he sighed, saying, "I always lose my hardest workers…thank you for all you've done for my place. That top floor's gonna be pretty lonely now…" She thanked him one final time for his hospitality and returned up the stairs, watching as Lucina packed a small bag with a few belongings. Lissa heaved the vanity away from the closet door (to which Lucina jumped in surprise…how could she have never seen that before?), and revealed the contents of the closet. A quick wave of her hand beckoned Lucina into the small, dusty room.

Lucina marveled at the multitude of storage—dusty tomes, ripped cloaks, staves on the verge of breaking…

"There's something that your father wanted you to have, Lucina. It's been collecting dust in here since we first arrived in this village." She found the Falchion again, dust still accumulating even though she had wiped clean just a few hours ago. Presenting the sheathed blade to Lucina, she said, "This was your father's. When Ricken came back to the castle to warn us of Grima, he delivered this to us, too. He told me that Chrom entrusted this to you…it was his final wish before he was killed. Take care of it…"

Slowly, Lucina reached out to the sword, gripping around its sheath. It was a little lighter than she thought it would be, and when she wrapped her fingers around the hilt and unsheathed the blade, it felt natural. Her father's hands guided her own and, although she knew nothing of swordplay, she felt an immense power surge from the Falchion into the depths of her heart. Perhaps it wasn't the sword that made her soul swell with this might…no, she was certain that the Falchion had nothing to do with it.

Rather, she understood that this moment was the first time in her life that she had ever felt the presence of her father.


	5. Frustrations

**Author's Note:** Okay, tried writing from Morgan's perspective for the first time…and I gotta say, playing the part of a snotty teenager (who, dare I say it, is quite a brat) was actually a lot of fun! Is it out of character? Hell yeah! Am I slightly projecting myself onto Morgan? …maybe a little. But, nevertheless, it was definitely fun to switch to an entirely new perspective; it was such a breath of fresh air. Anyway, this chapter (a lot like the last) is a lot of build-up, but hopefully you guys will see it through to the next chapter, which will definitely have more fun stuff in it! Anyway, as usual, reviews are always appreciated, and if you like this story, fav and follow to stay up to date on the latest chapters. Enjoy!

—

Morgan stormed through the hallways of castle Ylisse, his teeth gritting together so violently they threatened to crush under the pressure, and his midnight blue hair frazzled above his head. He had been _so close_ to getting Lucina, and for his efforts to be smashed by his _aunt_ of all people…it was unbelievable! As he strode down through the scarlet carpeting of the halls, Grimleal servants interrupted their duties and acknowledged his presence, bowing as if they were unworthy to look upon him. He was greeted with an ensemble of "good evening, master Morgans" and "welcome home, master Morgans," but he was too furious to return the notions. At this point, the respect of servants meant nothing to him…there was only one thing he wanted. Pointing at a servant dusting the corners of the castle, he demanded, "You! Do you know where my mother is?"

The astonished servant jolted straight up, only to meet the enraged gaze of his master. "M-master Robin is currently in the throne room, sir." Blood rushing to his face, he quickly bowed and returned to his duties.

When he approached the doors of the throne room, Morgan slammed through the entrance, nearly forcing the wood off of their hinges. Unfazed at his vexation, Robin, seated on the throne, stared at her son dispassionately, her cheek resting on her balled fist at the end of the throne's arm. Seeing that Morgan was too aggravated to speak, she figured she may as well begin the conversation. "I take it you failed to fulfill my request, then?"

Unable to face his mother, he turned away. "No…I was unable to retrieve Lucina."

"Care to share an excuse for this?"

"It was Lissa, mother!" he cried, desperately looking for a place to set the blame…anywhere other than himself. "I had her, I had Lucina right in my grasp…but she refused to come with me. And when I tried to take her by force…that…that _bitch_ jumped in. I wouldn't have been able to battle her without making some huge spectacle and drawing the attention of passersby. I…I'm sorry mother…I know that all you wanted was to make us a family…"

Rising from her throne, she approached Morgan, gently patting his head and welcoming him into her embrace. "Mother…aren't you angry with me?"

A soft yet sinister smile spread across her face. "Of course not, Morgan. Your sister will be with us soon enough, and that's when Grima will be revived to his fullest glory. Morgan, you may have failed today, but you will have another chance to prove your worth to Grima. I promise. At this point, Lissa must have taken Lucina away from their original location, but no matter how quickly they've travelled, the terrain of the area has to be slowing their movements. They couldn't have gone too far. I want you to search for them again. Remember, you must return here with your sister alive."

Excited at the prospect of avenging his fallen honor, Morgan piped up with a "Yes, of course!" and marched out of the throne room to prepare for his next expedition.

Robin's smile faded as soon as he left, and she turned to the two soldiers guarding the door. "Bring me the prisoner."

Soon after, the guards returned, dragging in a man slender from malnutrition and filthy from the grime of the dungeon. As he was led to the center of the throne room, heavy, gauntleted hands pushed down on his shoulders, forcing him onto his knees. His hands were bound tightly against his back, and his murky, black eyes narrowed at the sight of Robin. "I never knew my daughter was such a bitch." Robin loomed over him, a magically charged Levin sword gripped tightly in her right hand. She stared at him with utter disgust.

"I hesitate to even call you 'father,' Validar. I am no child of yours. You are like a rabbit trying to frighten a lion…Grima chose _me_ to be his host, not you. Your influence over me has dissipated. Robin is but a suppressed soul, overpowered by the will of Grima. You…your thirst for my power is concerning, so I have come to the decision to put you down here and now."

Shocked, Validar struggled against his binds. "NO! Master Grima, please, I am a valuable asset to you! Don't you understand? It was _I_ who revived you, it was—"

His pleas were interrupted by the feeling of a cold, sharp blade pricking at his throat. "See, Validar, that's the problem. You have done nothing to revive me, other than providing me with a worthy host. Robin is the only person worthy of exaltation. You? You're just some scumbag parasite trying to leech onto my power. Frankly, it's annoying, and I would rather not have such an obnoxious pest begging for my power."

Her grip around the hilt of the sword tightened, and she began to draw back, electricity surging through the blade. Validar begged in a panic. "Wait, please, NO—"

The last of his words echoed through the castle along with the sound of metal piercing flesh.

—

Lissa lead Lucina through the thicket, stopping at a spring for a moment's rest. They had been traveling for half a day, and Lissa was suspicious of how safe their journey had been thus far. They had not encountered any Risen, and while Lissa was weary, she thanked Naga that they had been blessed with such a peaceful trek. She and Lucina sat upon a large boulder near the spring as she produced a yellowing map from her bag. "The Mila Tree is north from here, I'd guess about three or four days' worth of travel, assuming we can stay at this pace." She approached the spring and, kneeling down, cupped her hands and dunked them into the water. Pressing it to her lips, she drank. Lucina did the same.

"Aunt Lissa, you've been on edge this whole trip. Are you okay?"

Lissa looked up at the sky, which was beginning to darken with every passing moment. "The last time I travelled with you, it was when you were a baby, strapped onto my back. I was maybe about your age at the time…no, probably a little bit younger." She pulled out the map again and pointed to an area far to the east of their current location. "Ylisse is right here. I travelled for more than a month, trying to stay at different villages along the way, only to see them completely overtaken by Grimleal or Risen. It was terrifying. When I made it to the village, I thought we would finally be safe…but look at us now." She gestured to the mud staining the edges of her cloak, the sweat falling from her forehead. "Before then, I had always relied on my brother to take care of me. I guess I really grew up after that, huh?"

Lucina was unable to contain herself. "You've done everything you possibly could have for me…thank you. You…you saved my life more than once, you know. Give yourself a little more credit. Besides, I didn't realize that my aunt was such a badass!" She motioned towards the tomes in her bag.

Lissa couldn't help but chuckle. "You know, your dad would probably disagree…he'd always call me delicate or frail…if only he could see me now!"

The pair continued to travel northward, traversing the rugged terrain of the mountains. When the stars had made their home in the dark sky, they decided it was best to make camp for the night. While Lissa ignited a campfire, she suggested that Lucina give the Falchion a few trial swings. Happy to try, she took the blade and found a thick tree to practice on. Unsheathing her sword, she looked at her reflection through the glistening metal. She imagined all the times her father had done the same, wondering if the face she saw in the sword at all resembled him. Clutching the hilt with her right hand, she slashed down onto the bark of the tree, clasping her eyes shut as she did. She felt no impact. Opening her eyes, she realized that the blade had not even met the tree, and although no one was around to see her miss an enormous target, she blushed hard. Again and again, she slashed, but to no avail. Frustrated and tired from overusing her shoulder, she sat down onto the grass, catching her breath. "Why can't I do this?" she asked herself. She wished her father could be there to guide her arms, to show her how to wield this sword.

"Breathe, Lucina." She heard a voice from somewhere in the forest, although she couldn't discern what direction it originated in. She shot up, looking around her in the darkness. It was the voice of a man, but it was much to deep and gentle to have been Morgan's. It spoke again, "Just concentrate, Lucina. Keep your eyes open, focus on your target."

"Who are you?!" she shouted into the nothingness.

"I'm present, but I'm not here. I'm always with you, Lucina. Just relax and try again. I know you can do it. I believe in you, Lucina."

Lissa waited patiently for Lucina's return, but was startled when she heard an echoing _crash_. Worried, she ran towards the source of the sound, hoping that Lucina was all right.

To her surprise, Lucina was much more that all right. She stood, breathing heavily before a fallen tree, her right hand clutching the Falchion. Lissa ran to her side. "Lucina! Is everything okay?"

Lucina turned to her, beaming as tears streamed down her face. "A-aunt Lissa…I…I heard him. He told me everything I had to do, he showed me exactly how to wield the Falchion…"

"You…you heard who?"

"I…I heard my father!"

—

The next day, Lissa and Lucina began to move again, although Lissa was still confused about how quickly Lucina picked up the sword the night before. "So…you're telling me that you sliced that entire tree down last night?" Lucina nodded proudly. "But…how?! You didn't learn anything about swordplay back in the village, and that tree trunk had to have been at least a meter thick! This doesn't make any sense!"

Lucina laughed. "I told you…somewhere in my heart I heard my father's voice, and it was like her was guiding all of my movements. Honestly, I thought it was all a dream, but the moment I saw you, I realized everything had been real. I don't know…maybe it's the Falchion speaking to me, but I feel like Chrom has been watching over us this whole time."

It was sentimental, of course, but possible? Lissa just wasn't sure. The optimism she had eighteen years ago had vanished, stealing away her appreciation of impossible possibilities. Either way, it seemed that Lucina had become a bit more confident with swordplay, which would definitely be beneficial if their fortune suddenly decided to turn on them.

While the day before had been clear and bright, today was nothing of the sort; billowing, murky clouds blanketed the atmosphere, spreading like the wings of a raven. As they moved through the forest, they became enveloped in a fog, obscuring their vision. Only a small flame and the sound of Lissa's voice guided Lucina's sense of direction. Lissa called out, "try to stay close, Lucina. This fog is pretty thick…watch your footing and be sure that you don't get separated from me."

The fog was becoming so dense that Lucina had difficulty even seeing her own feet, much less her aunt. "Aunt Lissa…are you still there?" She called out into the mist, praying that her voice would carry through the area. There was no response. "Aunt Lissa?" she called again, her voice wavering from nervousness. Still, her call was left without response. In a panic, Lucina looked over her shoulder and all the way around her, but she could see nothing more than the white of fog. It was only the crunch of crisp grass under her feet that convinced her that she was even still in the woods. Cupping her hands around her lips, she made another desperate attempt to call for her aunt. "Aunt Lissa!" she shouted, "Where are you?" This time, finally, she received a response…but it wasn't from Lissa. She felt something hard whack against the back of her head, and before she could even draw the Falchion to defend herself, before she could even steal a glance at the person who attacked her, she slumped to the ground, her eyes going black.


	6. Of Saviors and Alliances

**Author's Note:** A longer chapter with less exposition! Hooray! This one staaaarts getting a little NSFW (although nothing _really_ happens), so consider yourself #warned. Tbh, I was a little uncomfortable writing this chapter's second half, but the things I do for science…anyway, hope you enjoy! As always, reviews are always appreciated!

* * *

When the fog had set in thick, Lissa decided to hang close to the rough bark of a tree (or at least, what she _hoped_ was a tree). Her own movements obscured from her eyes, she decided it was best to remain in one location—she had little knowledge of the surrounding area and the uselessness of her vision was no aid to that. She crouched down and fell back against the tree, seating herself upon the grass moist from the condensed air. Tired from carrying her bag and wandering aimlessly, she took deep, heaving breaths of the thick air, desperate to find a moment of rest to ail her aching body. There was no indication of Lucina anywhere; she hadn't heard an accompanying pair of footsteps in quite a while…although the concept of "a while" eluded her, as she was unable to see the sun above. She so desperately wanted to search for her, but with the haze surrounding her, she knew it would be useless to even try. _Lucina is a smart girl,_ she reasoned, _she must be waiting for me somewhere near here._ With no sign of the fog lifting anytime soon, she decided to grant her body the rest it so longingly yearned for, loosening the tension in her shoulders and slowing her breaths. As time went on, her eyelids drooped down, lulling her into deep slumber.

When she awoke, the fog had dissipated into light wisps, allowing Lissa to finally see in front of her. She thanked the gods that she was leaning on a tree and not some ravaging monster and, slinging her bag back over her shoulders, rose from her seat, dress stained a dark green from the grass, and ventured away to search for Lucina. Her blonde hair was still damp from the fog and a bit of her sweat and she shouted into the forest, calling for her niece. "Lucina! Lucina are you there?" Other than the croaks of crows and crickets, she was offered no response. No matter how many times she called out, the reply never changed. Disgruntled, she slammed her fist against a tree, crushing its bark under her balled hand and allowing its splinters to dig deep into her skin. "Dammit!" she cursed at herself. How could she have been so stupid? She should have gone to look for Lucina as soon as she noticed she was missing! She should have searched through the fog, she should have—

She stopped in her tracks. A thick, inky smoke emerged, only obscured by a few tall trees. She backed away slowly, careful to move as silently as possible…the source of the haze was a group of creatures that Lissa knew all too well. They appeared to be very much human, but their actions resembled those of feral animals—they snarled, screeched, and howled. The glowing embers of their red eyes pierced through Lissa's heart, freezing her blood into ice. Though she had not seen them in almost eighteen years, she recognized the horde of creatures the moment she laid eyes on them: The Risen.

She was cautious as she backed away, silencing her breaths into nothing and ensuring that her eyes remained glued onto the Risens' location. But the moment a twig cracked in half under her boot, all of their crimson eyes turned onto her. Realizing her fatal mistake, Lissa turned on her heels and dashed past the trees, suffocating the strap of her bag with her grip. The Risen horde followed in pursuit, thirsting to spill her blood. Gasping, Lissa dared to steal a peak behind her, only to be greeted by a ferocious troop of undead soldiers, waving weapons and claws and growling. Without thinking, she snatched a tome from her pocket and, facing her pursuers, cast her spell. " _THORON!"_ she bellowed, summoning walls of electricity to cast down upon her enemies. Panting, she watched as the Risen began to fade away, dissipating into nothing but a purple and black smoke. Releasing tension from her soldiers, she shut her tome closed, still high from her panic…it was only when a hooded Revenant leapt out from the remains of her attack when she considered that she may have missed one.

Everything happened very slowly; the Revenant's sharpened claws reached out for Lissa's neck and all she could do was wallow in a pool of regret. She should have been more careful. She should have been stronger. She should have worked harder to protect Lucina. She was going to die…nothing she could do could prevent this fate. She wasn't strong enough. She wasn't strong enough. _She wasn't strong enough—_

" _ARCFIRE!"_ Flames struck the unsuspecting Revenant, searing it crisp and reducing it to ash and smoke. Lissa turned to find the source of the spell, only to find a robed man standing behind her. Her eyes widened wildly when she recognized his short, slender figure and his sea colored hair. He locked his deep umber eyes with hers, smirking slyly at the helpless young woman below him. "Hello again, aunt Lissa!"

She stood up quickly, clutching her tome and preparing to strike. "You! Morgan…what are you doing here?!"

Morgan sighed, "I thought it'd be obvious by now…I'm looking for Lucina. Must you ask me with every encounter?"

Lissa did not withdraw. "You bastard…I'd advise you to stay away from her if you value your life!"

Her savior nearing her, she backed away, unafraid to use her tome if necessary. "Honestly, I don't really care much for my life," he said, closing his tome and depositing it into the inner pocket of his robe. "I just need Lucina. Where is she?"

Still maintaining her stance, she smirked. "You'd be disappointed to know that I've no idea."

Rolling his eyes, he put his hands up. "You aren't exactly a great guardian, now are you? I can only assume that you're searching for her as well, if you're unsure of your whereabouts. It seems we share the same goal." He made it blatantly obvious that he had no intention of attacking, but that gave Lissa no reassurance. "Why don't we work together? Call it a truce."

Lissa was outraged. "Are you _kidding me_? How _dare_ you even suggest that! You must be mad to even think that I'd lead you to Lucina!"

"Look here, aunt Lissa: I've got quite a few leads, just so you know. And by the looks of things," he glanced at the pile of ash that was once Revenant, "you don't have much to go off of. With the knowledge I have, the probability of me finding Lucina first is definitely not in your favor. Come on, aunt Lissa, you really don't have a choice here." His right hand protruded out toward her, beckoning for her to shake.

As much as Lissa loathed to admit it, Morgan was correct. If he wasn't bluffing, Lucina could be in even more danger if she didn't keep an eye on him. If she were to work with him, at least he would remain under her watchful eye. And she didn't have any leads…she was unfamiliar with the area, and Morgan probably had much more time than she to scope out their surroundings. What if he was dangerous? …No. He had just saved her life, had he not? If he wanted to be rid of her, he could have let her die. Lissa weighed her options, although it truly seemed that she had only one. She offered her own hand to shake. "Fine. I guess our… _intentions_ …differ, but in the end, we both want the same thing."

Morgan smiled. "Exactly! You're smarter than you look!"

"Piece of shit…" she muttered under her breath.

Morgan ignored the insult. "From what I've discovered so far, I've seen an encampment of sorts nearby. I can only assume it's some primitive group of bandits. Although the area is secluded, it's often traversed by travelers…I can see why some thieves would settle down around here."

Lissa gulped. "Bandits?" She had been so adamant about the dangers of Risen and Grimleal that she had ruled out the possibility of rouges attacking them. "Where was their camp?"

Point past Lissa, he said, "There's a river a few miles away from here; that's where they're based. If Lucina had been captured—" Lissa flinched at the word, "then she's probably being kept there. Care to scope it out with me?"

Swallowing her pride, she nodded, following Morgan's lead into the depths of the forest.

* * *

A dull, numbing ache seized the back of Lucina's head. When she had awoken, she was still seeing bright stars. Was she dead? Was this the afterlife? She wasn't sure. When she tried to massage the ache, she found her hands restrained behind her back, thick cords chafing at her wrists. A rough rag was wedged within her mouth, hindering any movement of her jaw. Slowly regaining focus, she analyzed her surroundings—she was seated upon a mound of dirt, tied to the mast of what she could only assume was a tent. The tent's lack of furnishings rivaled that of her old room: a ragged, filthy blanket, a pile of straw, a wooden chair. Even the tent itself was in a miserable state; rips tattered across its yellowing cloth and splinters jutted out of its supports. The only thing she could think to do was struggle against the binds around her wrists, trying desperately to undo the tight knot's hold. The skin at her wrists was red and raw by the time a man entered through the flaps of the tent's opening. Her gag could not restrain a gasp from leaving her throat.

"Well, it took ya long enough to wake up, missy!" His gravelly voice complemented his stature—his dark brown hair was wild and came down the sides of his face to form a beard. A cape of poorly tailored animal hide was the only piece of clothing on his torso; his chest was painted with streaks of crimson, and Lucina hoped it was dye and not blood. He was ridiculously tall…Lucina had to practically look to the sky to meet his gaze. His large, bony hands were sheathed in woven gauntlets, but his digits wielded something of value to her—the Falchion. She stared at the sword in his hand, and it was obvious that he noticed. "Oh, this is yours?" he laughed, slinging the blade over his shoulder. "She's quite a beauty, eh? I couldn't believe a lady like yourself could even look at a weapon like this!"

Lucina stared at him coldly, struggling to keep her eyes focused in her concussed state. He threw the sword to the side of the tent and began to approach her; she winced back in fear, trying to escape his nearing figure at all costs, but was only greeted by the splinting wood across her spine. His filthy, calloused hand rose toward her face and she turned her head and clasped her eyes shut. She felt his rough skin graze her cheek as he yanked the fabric from her mouth with enough force to send her head catapulting forward. The pains intensified, spreading to her forehead, growing from an uncomfortable, dull ache to a sharp, merciless stabbing. She stared at the ground, hoping a lack of stimulation would ease her torment. But the brigand crouched down in front of her, his grimy fingers clutching the soft skin of her chin and tilting her head upwards to meet his eyes. "I'm gonna ask you somethin', and you're gonna answer me. Got it?" Lucina said nothing. The bandit started, "What was a beautiful young maiden like you doin' strolling 'round in our territory? Wieldin' a sword like that, too…are you some kinda spy? Thought you could nick some treasure from bandits like us, eh?"

Lucina would not dignify him with an answer. She stared back at him in utter defiance, narrowing her blue eyes as they locked securely with his. Recognizing her act as one of resistance, he released her from his grip and, curling his fingers into a fist, harshly jabbed at the girl's gut. The pain was unbearable; Lucina's eyes widened as the wind was knocked out of her, gasping for glorious air to reenter her lungs. She coughed hard, horrified when she realized she was hacking up blood, the scarlet liquid flushing out of her lips and bathing her tongue in the bitter taste of iron. Heaving, she craned her neck to look at her captor, who was enjoying the sight of her pain. "Perhaps ya misheard me before…when I said 'you're gonna answer me,' I meant it. So answer me, bitch!" Tangling a set of his filthy fingers into her hair, he pulled up on the strands, forcing an agonized whimper out of her.

Her straining eyes noticed his knuckles of his free hand tightening once again, and she was unsure if her chest could endure further abuse. If she wanted to survive, she'd have to speak. "I got lost," she said, her voice exhausted after having to force herself to breath. Unsatisfied with her answer, he yanked back on her hair so far it was a miracle it wasn't ripped out. "I'm no spy," she asserted, "I just got lost in the fog…that sword's just an heirloom, I have no idea how to use it…"

Now, _that_ was an answer he could appreciate. He released her from his cruel grip, throwing her head downward and letting her hair fall against her paling face. "An heirloom, huh?" He went to retrieve the Falchion from the side of the tent and unsheathed the blade, revealing its glistening metal edges. "Yeah, I guess that means both of you will fetch a high price…"

Lucina's heart stopped. "W…what?"

The brigand laughed at her naivety. "What, did ya think we'd just let ya go? You ain't exactly bad lookin', sweetheart, and my group of bandits…we don't take anything that won't bring us gold." Lucina shifted uncomfortably against her restraints as he neared her once more, crouching down to her lowered level. "You're a lot like this sword, missy. You're merchandise. To me, you're nothing but a bag of cash and pleasure."

Her entire body heaved in revulsion. Gritting her teeth, she reluctantly asked, "…pleasure?" He gave no verbal answer, but when she realized that his grungy hands were unfastening the buttons at the front of her tunic, she wished that he had. With her hands secured to her back, the only thing she could think to do was scream and beg. "Please, _please_ no!" she cried out, still struggling against the burn of rope on her wrists. "Why…why are you doing this?!"

The bandit's sinister laugh shattered Lucina's hope. "Like I said before, you're quite the eye candy. If ya haven't been sold yet, then you're still our property. I'm not gonna let me and my boys go without such a hot opportunity!" He had just about finished unbuttoning when he decided to call out to the rest of the brigands, "Hey! She's almost ready to roll, come on in if you wanna piece!"

Her fear was evident on her face and in her actions; she kicked and screamed and shirked away as best as she could, considering her binds. She was to be _shared_ among a group of heathens and her panic became as tangible as her body. However, when his men failed to appear, he stuttered in confusion. Shouting back out to the rest of the camp, he spat, "Filthy bastards, I'll take her all for myself if ya don't get here now!" When answered with an almost deafening silence, Lucina seized her opportunity to resist. Opening her jaw, she bit down on the brigand's arm, allowing the flavor of his blood mix with her own. Howling in pain, he ripped his arm away from her teeth's piercing hold, crimson splattering in thick droplets between them. Lucina spat the wretched taste of grime and iron from her mouth, glaring at the bleeding brigand. "You fucking _bitch_!" His wrath multiplied, sending shivers down her spine. He took the Falchion and pointed it at her side. He basked in the fear blatant on her face. "Oh, I won't kill ya…" his gruff voice was but a mere whisper, "I still intend to get my money's worth outta ya. I'll cut ya to the brink of death!" He swung the blade over his head.

But it never swung back down. Instead, the brigand fell forward, nearly crushing Lucina with his weight, his back struck by some sort of magic. Lifeless. Lucina looked to her savior, but recognizing him immediately, the color drained from her face.

"Dear sister," Morgan's slick voice wrapped around Lucina's mind, "you're not hurt, are you?"


	7. A Second Brand

**Author's Note:** Oof, fight scenes are pretty hard to write. Also, it doesn't help that Word consistently tried to restructure my inverted syntax. I hate it. Anyway, Lucina and Morgan get into a sibling fight (largely based on my own experiences of fighting with my own siblings…hahaha jk we aren't _that_ crazy) and Morgan acts…a lot like Henry, strangely…? Idk. Since Morgan has a really bland personality in Awakening (at least in my opinion), I took _a lot_ of liberties with his character. Speaking of personality, I really want to incorporate more of Lissa's fun-loving, quirky character into my story (and I really tried with this chapter) but I'm finding it pretty difficult to pull off given the nature of the story. If you have any suggestions (without completely roasting me), leave a review for me, and I'll definitely take it into consideration!

* * *

 _Wonderful_ , Lucina thought to herself, _I'm getting transferred from one creep to the next_. The aches in her head did everything but subside, and the sight of Morgan only intensified the pains. Kicking the brigand's corpse from her lap, she leaned her head down in embarrassment, remembering her tunic had been undone. Drawing a short dagger, Morgan approached her and she winced away, dreading what dastardly thing he'd do to her. She was overtaken by a surge of a strange mixture of confusion and relief when he strode past her and sliced through the binds restraining her wrists. Her hands finally free from their confines, she rubbed gently at the torn skin as Morgan clicked his tongue. "You're in one sorry state, sister," he said. She glared at him, and both of his hands flew upward. "Hey, no need for a death stare, I just saved you!"

Scoffing, she stood up, her legs tingling from being sat upon for so long. "What have you done with my aunt?"

"Oh, you mean _our_ aunt?" Lucina narrowed her eyes. She still couldn't understand what he was trying to imply.

Lissa entered the tent right on cue. She pushed at the flaps of the tent's opening and rushed to Lucina, who was refastening the clasps on her tunic. "LUCINA!" she cried, her voice brimming with relief, "Are you all right?!"

Buttoning the top of her tunic, she offered her a small smile and wrenched her Falchion from the brigand's hand to retrieve it. She shuddered, disgusted that such a huge, grimy body had fallen on top of her. "I'm fine, but there _is_ one thing concerning me here." Both women immediately looked to Morgan, who grinned his typical cynical grin.

"It's a long story," Lissa sighed, groaning with disapproval. She couldn't believe she had to work with Morgan to get here. "Let's get out of here." They exited and Lucina glanced at the unconscious bandits laying around the camp. So _that's_ why no one came when their leader had called for them. "Don't worry," Lissa reassured her, "we just used a sleeping spell. They'll wake up soon enough…although, I sorta wish they wouldn't…" As Lissa laughed and Lucina silently thanked Naga for her blessing of an aunt, they were interrupted by the sound of Morgan's devilish voice as he poked out of the tent.

"Hold on, aunt Lissa," both stopped and Lissa cringed; she still had no clue how she could have a nephew. Sumia had been killed before she had the chance to bear another child, so Morgan couldn't possibly be Chrom's son. He had to be lying, right? Her confusion was interrupted by the oozing toxic of Morgan's voice. "I got you what you wanted, didn't I? I led you right to Lucina, and now you've got her safe and sound. But an alliance means nothing if only one side contributes anything."

Lucina couldn't possibly be more puzzled. "An alliance?"

Lissa sighed again, "Like I said, it's a long story." She narrowed her eyes at Morgan, unable to predict what he was suggesting. "What are you talking about?" she asked him.

Smirking wildly, he crossed his arms. "I think it's time for your contribution, aunt Lissa. You know exactly what I want."

Lissa knew exactly what he meant. She drew a tome from the pocket of her cloak and threw her free hand in front of Lucina to guard her. "No. You're not taking her."

When Lucina understood what was going on, she tightened her grip around the hilt of Falchion, tilting the point of her blade towards Morgan. Her eyes narrowed as she stared him down, her eyelids nearly obscuring her brand. He drew back in surprise. "Oh ho…!" he snickered…his laugh dripped like poison. "So, you've got the Falchion now. Mother always wondered where it ended up after the battle at the table. You could barely defend yourself the first time we met…tell me, who taught you so well that you suddenly have the confidence to face me?"

Gritting her teeth and assuming an offensive stance, she answered in a low growl. "My father!"

Morgan laughed again. "You mean _our_ father!"

Lissa was at her wit's end with all of Morgan's ridiculous claims. "That's not possible!" she interjected, "You couldn't be Chrom's son, Sumia was killed shortly after Lucina was born!"

He rose his left hand slowly; it was obscured by the loose hanging sleeves of his wine-colored Grimleal robes. "Perhaps this will suffice as proof." With his Grima-branded right hand, he pulled down the sleeve, revealing the back of his left hand. Lissa was taken aback, and Morgan reveled in her shock. Adorning his hand, distinct as Lucina's, was the brand of the Exalt, dark as blood. "Well?" he asked, smiling as if he knew he would enjoy Lissa's confused and scattered answer.

"That…there's no way!" she sputtered.

"It's funny how you just _assumed_ that my mother _had_ to be Sumia," he chuckled, "when there are so many women who would _love_ to have their child be a descendent of the Exalt."

Lucina had enough. " _Shut up!"_ In what seemed to be a flash of light, she leapt across the campground, stabbing at her "brother." However, as if he could predict her movements, he quickly dodged, drawing a Levin Sword from under his cloak.

"Humph," he grunted, magical energy flowing through the crooked blade as it crackled with static. "You'd just attack your little brother like that?"

"You are _no brother of mine_!" Lucina howled in response, dashing towards him and slashing downwards. He deflected her blows with his own blade, each clash producing the crashes of metal against metal. As their swords met, they both pushed their strengths into their weapons with equivalent amounts of force. Lucina could see Morgan's dark eyes and vile grin past the cross point of their swords, and she gritted her teeth when he spoke again.

"Sister…you're an awful liar. Father would have been able to kill me in an instant, and yet you continue to struggle." Lucina tried to push back harder but was only met with equal force from Morgan. "There's no way father taught you, you're much too sloppy. And you don't have the experience to pay attention to everything on the battlefield." Before she could even question what he meant, he kicked hard at her shin, causing her knee to buckle as she stumbled backwards.

Drawing her sword into a defensive position, she braced for his next strike.

"Pay attention to everything on the battlefield, Morgan!" Lissa's voice pierced through the air as a gale slammed against his side, launching him into the brigands' supply of lumber. He cried out in pain as his body crashed into the wood. "What, did you forget about me?" she grinned, winking, "maybe you should start practicing what you preach!"

A fierce growl escaped Morgan's voice as he struggled to rise from the pile of split, splintering wood. His once umber eyes were now glowing with crimson, resembling flames more than pupils. Both women began to back away. "You..." he snarled, voice coarse with rage, "you will _pay_ for defying Grima!" But before he could move to strike, he was stopped by a voice in his head.

 _Morgan, that's enough._ The voice was stern, commanding him to cease.

 _Mother, is that you?_

 _Yes, child. You've done more than enough work today. Return to the castle…I've made a change in plans and it requires you here immediately._

Sighing, he obediently sheathed his Levin Sword within his robes as his eyes eased back into their normal umber coloring. He smiled at his aunt and sister, leaning into a bow. "I apologize, but it looks like I have to go!"

Lissa stepped forward in rage as Lucina shouted, "Do you really think we're going to just let you go?!"

He rose back up, grinning as he stared at them cruelly. "Of course not! But it's not like you can stop me anyway." As he produced a warp staff from his robes, Lucina ignored the stifling pain in her shin and lunged toward him…but she was too late. He vanished long before she could reach him.

* * *

Lissa cringed in disgust as Lucina rolled up her pant leg. "Ugh, that's one nasty bruise!" Drawing a heal staff from her bag, she remedied the bruise. Lucina felt its effects almost immediately, feeling relief as the dull pain plaguing her shin began to vanish.

"Thank you, aunt Lissa," she said as the bruise seemingly mended itself. "That's amazing…if only you did this for every cut and scratch I got when I was kid!"

Lissa shook her head. "Well, if I did that, you wouldn't ever learn from your mistakes, would you?" Lucina blushed, remembering how reckless she was as a child. How fond she was of running around and climbing on things, scraping her knees and sometimes finding random scratches or cuts on her arms and legs that she couldn't remember where she had gotten them from. Lissa smiled at her embarrassment, "You were a lot like Chrom was when he was little!"

Lucina let out a slight chuckle. "Was I really?"

"Definitely…he was reckless beyond belief!" She burst into laughter when Lucina's face flushed an even deeper shade of red. "I remember when we were really small…I was maybe five at the time? Can't really remember. Anyway, I was flying a kite one day in the summer and it got stuck in a tree. It was really high up and there was no way I could reach it. I cried of course, real hard. There weren't any servants nearby, and I knew I was too small to climb the tree. That's when Chrom arrived…he said he could hear me crying from across the castle." She rolled her eyes. "I pointed to the kite and then he ruffled through my hair. He said something like, 'You're so delicate, Lissa. I'll get it for you!' And so, he climbed up, and once he could reach the kite, he grabbed it and waved it around to show it off. He was laughing like a maniac, so proud of himself. Then he lost his footing, and he fell from the top of the tree. That idiot…he ended up with a concussion and Emm wouldn't let him leave his room for a week!" She laughed, remembering how she had teased her bedridden brother. "He might have done some stupid stuff, but he was always kind to everyone around him," she smiled, "a lot like a certain niece I know."

Lucina scratched the back of her head, "Well, it's nice to know that I take after my father…it's reassuring, almost. Anyway, we should get back on track. How far until we get to…the Mila…Tree…oh no!" She slapped her forehead with her palm, "I was carrying the map, and those bandits took my bag! Oh gods…" She noticed Lissa chuckling, covering her mouth with her gloved hand. "What…this isn't funny aunt Lissa! We have no idea where we are and—"

She was interrupted by the large, leather satchel thrusted into her face. Lissa beamed. "Is _this_ the bag you're talking about?"

Lucina smirked, snatching the bag from its straps and slinging it over her shoulders. "I don't know why I expected any less from you, aunt Lissa."

And so off they went, back into the woods, heading north towards the Mila Tree.

* * *

"Mother, I could have taken them!" Morgan complained as his mother stared dispassionately atop the throne. "It would have been easy, I was so close—"

"That's _enough_ , Morgan." Her voice was harsh, prompting a halt to Morgan's complaints. He had never heard his mother's voice projected with such veracity…no. It couldn't have been his mother. That was Grima who spoke to him.

Suddenly humbled, he kneeled to the ground, bowing to the Fell Dragon of his mother. "Please forgive my insolence, mother," the most he could do was beg for forgiveness, "rudeness was never my intention."

Robin's facial expressions softened. "You are forgiven, my child. I know how heart-wrenching it must be to have your sister be taken from you again. But I expect no more outbursts from you; it's unbecoming for a prince of your status to whine like a spoiled brat. Besides…" she rose from the throne and walked down the steps to face her son directly, the scarlet of her pupils glowing like embers, "we'll be going out again soon enough."

Morgan's gaze met his mother's. " _We_?"

"That's right," she answered, grasping his shoulders with the gentleness of a feral beast. "I'm going to show you how to kill a god."


	8. Memory

**Author's Note:** Okay this might have been the hardest chapter to write so far; firstly, I realized that I _suck_ at coming up with battle strategies, which is literally the core of Robin's character, so…yeah. Secondly, I used dialogue from both the Before Awakening DLC in Fates and the prologue in Awakening, but I didn't want to copy all of it word for word, so I had to do a lot of switching back and forth between tabs to make sure the dialogue I created still sounded natural when I combined it with the original dialogue. This one was more stressful than fun to write, tbh, but I did really enjoy writing in a first-person point of view, especially as Lissa! I said before that Lissa's personality was hard to incorporate into this story since it has such a dark nature, but I think I really pulled it off with this chapter. Hopefully you guys agree! As always, reviews are always appreciated, and if you like this story, give it a follow!

* * *

The cold of rain pounded down on the two women's backs, saturating the soil with water and muddying their already filth-covered boots with slimy muck. Their feet squished into the mud, the ground felt as if it was collapsing under their movements, shifting the dirt under their soles. They had been travelling for about three days, but Lissa hadn't undergone such trials in years and Lucina never in her life. And they _definitely_ hadn't taken inclement weather into consideration. There was no lightning, no thunder, just the hard beating of rain on them and everything around them. Both had thanked the gods that they had encountered no dangers since they had left the bandits' encampment, neither in Risen nor human form, but neither wanted to voice their disdain for the horrid weather. Although the woods had once represented the freedom of life to Lucina, the rain deterred all indications of life…even the gray sky seemed to emit death.

They had been abused by the weather for three hours before they found a small cavern to shield them from the rain. Lucina shivered in her wet clothes as the breeze bit at her skin. At least the beatings of rain had ceased. Lissa spilled the contents of her bag out onto the cool stone of the cavern's floor, sighing somewhat disgracefully when she saw the pages of some of her tomes were weakened by water. She cautiously pried through the pages of a novice's fire tome, careful not to rip the delicate paper. She located the page she wanted and, gathering a bit of stone from the walls of the cavern, set her hand aflame. A makeshift campfire now warmed the two. Silence filled the newly heated air between them.

Strangely, it was Lucina who broke the silence. "Can you tell me more about the time before I was born?" It had once been a risky question to ask; before just a few days ago, Lissa had withheld all information about her parents, hoping that the less she knew, the safer she'd be. But nothing could change that they were here now. Nothing could change the fact that Lissa's plan had failed. Perhaps it was destiny for them to be snuffed out, or maybe it _wasn't_ Lucina's destiny to stay in that mountain village. Perhaps once it's placed upon your shoulders, the cross of fate could never be released.

A long silence hung low over the two women, only the crackling of fire and the low roll of breathing disrupted it. Lucina was relieved when Lissa decided to speak up. "What do you want to learn about?" A meek but genuine smile widened across Lissa's lips.

"Honestly, I'd be grateful if you told me _anything_!" Both of them chuckled, and Lissa resided into a relaxed sigh as she tapped her chin with her index finger.

"Hm…what to tell you…there was the time your mom punched your dad in the face, the time Vaike accidentally went into battle empty handed…there's a lot of great stories I could tell you! But…there is one I do want to share. It's sorta long."

Lucina looked out into the rainy forest, and by the flash of lightning and crack of thunder that suddenly startled them both, she deduced that the storm wouldn't quit any time soon. She snickered. "Well, I think I've got the time."

Giggling, Lissa laid back onto the cavern walls, relieving the tension in her shoulders. "Okay then, Lucina. This is a story from a really long time ago, _way_ before you were even an _idea_. It all started when I was on patrol near the outskirts of Ylisse with your dad and a loyal, extremely wary, knight named Frederick…"

Lucina sat back, listening intently.

* * *

We were in an open field, enjoying the peace and the heat of the sun. Our country was at war with Plegia at the time, and it was moments like these that we cherished more than anything else. Yeah, we were patrolling, but thankfully nothing that needed are attention was happening. It might seem sorta uninteresting to you, but in times of war, too much excitement wasn't something we really wanted. Anyway, as we were walking to a nearby town, Frederick and Chrom were arguing about something—probably your dad's recklessness—and that's when I noticed something strange laying in the long grass. I didn't know what to make of it, so I pointed it out to Chrom.

He gripped the hilt of the Falchion just in case (Frederick was glad that some of his cautiousness rubbed off on him) and started stalking towards it. When he realized what it was, he released the grip on his sword and called back to us, "Hey, someone's fainted over here!"

We went back to his side, but Frederick felt that the situation was too dangerous. "What if that's some spy or assassin?"

Chrom looked back at Frederick sternly. "We're Shepherds," he said, "and we can't just leave her here to die." Frederick didn't return any argument, but he still refused to get too close to the fainted woman.

Chrom, ever the dolt, went ahead and knelt down next to the woman and started prodding at her body. "What are you _doing_?!"

"She's warm…hrm. Definitely not dead at least. Why would anyone lay down out here…I've never seen clothes like this before. Where could—"

I stopped him before he could continue talking to yourself. "Hey, focus! There's a woman in a literal _coma_ in front of you, who cares about her clothes?! Chrom…we have to do something!"

"What do you propose we do?" As if I knew. Yeah, I'd taken care of cuts and bruises before…but nothing like this!"

"I…I dunno…" then, I noticed the woman's eyes slowly flicker open.

Chrom was the first one to say something. "I see you're awake now."

"Hey there!" I said, trying to sound as friendly as I could to the strange woman.

Chrom reached out to the woman to help her up. "There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know. Give me your hand." He gently heaved her to her feet. "You all right?"

The woman's voice was soft…delicate even. "Y-Yes…thank you, Chrom."

All of us were surprised, and I could tell how suspicious Frederick was getting. "Ah…so you know who I am?" Chrom asked.

The woman blushed, the red of her cheeks illuminating the brightness of her snow-white hair. A puzzled expression covered her reddened face, "N-no…your name just sort of came to me…"

Frederick looked ready to pounce on her, but Chrom motioned his hand back to stop him. "Strange…tell me, what's your name? What brings you here?"

"My name is…" the woman started, "My…my name…it's…um?"

Frederick's cautionary instincts took over and he stepped into the fray. "So you just _happen_ to know milord's name but not your own? Ridiculous!"

I cut him off quickly…I could tell the woman was starting to panic. "Frederick! It's okay, I've heard about this, it's called amnesia."

"It's a load of pegusus dung, that's what," he muttered crossing his arms.

Chrom rolled his eyes. "We wouldn't be Shepherd's if we just turned back on her, Frederick."

The look on the woman's faced twisted in even more confusion. "You…tend sheep? In full armor? What…in what world…"

Chrom laughed; we would get that kind of question a lot. "Yeah, it's a dangerous job. Just ask Frederick the Wary over here!" He gestured towards Frederick, whose arms were still folded.

"It's a title I shall wear with pride. Gods forbid one of us keeps an appropriate level of caution. I have every wish to trust you, stranger, but my station mandates otherwise."

The woman offered him a gentle smile and said, "It's understandable, considering your…position…R…Robin…" her voice trailed off into the air.

"Robin?" I said.

"I…I think that's my name. I just remembered it…well, one less mystery to solve, right?"

"What an interesting name…" Chrom said, looking at her from head to toe, "we'll have to talk more about it later. We're almost to town, once we—"

My knuckleheaded brother was so focused on Robin that he didn't notice the plumes of smoke billowing from the town. "Chrom, look!"

He quickly turned and gasped when he saw. "Damn, the town's ablaze! It's those blasted brigands, no doubt. Frederick! Lissa!"

I nodded my head, but Frederick asked, "What about Robin?"

Chrom was already in a full sprint towards the town, unsheathing the Falchion. "Unless she's also on fire, it can wait! Right now, those people need our help!" I quickly followed behind him as Frederick mounted his horse.

By the time we reached the town, it was in near ruin. Buildings were scorched to a char, the lifeless bodies of young men lay in the streets…a little kid was wailing, looking for his mother. All I could do was stare at the wreckage. "Chrom…"

He patted me on the head, "I know, Lissa," he reassured, "we're gonna make things right."

"Wait!"

We all turned to see Robin running after us. "What? Robin, what are you doing, why did you follow us?!"

"I-I don't know why I came…but…I'm armed, and I know my way around a fight, if you'll have me." Chrom accepted and began to charge. "Wait, Chrom!" Robin called after him, "what's the plan?"

I answered for him. "There is none. He's a horrible strategist…he chose brawn over brains I guess." Chrom stopped in his tracks.

"That's a little harsh, isn't it?"

I shrugged, "I gave the truth and nothing but the truth."

I was laughing at the defeated look on my brother's face, but the feeling of concern emanating from Robin was more that enough to stop my giggles. "So…you're planning to take back this city by rushing in recklessly? That's…that's absurd?"

"Oh?" Frederick said, suspicion still obvious in his voice, "What do _you_ think we should do, stranger?"

"Look, I get that you don't trust me, Sir Frederick, but judging by what I can see, we're outnumbered at least three to one and I'm guessing that you'd rather not turn this into a suicide mission."

Frederick turned to Chrom. "Milord?"

Chrom sheathed the Falchion and crossed his arms, "Let's hear her out Frederick. She's right—I don't want anyone taking any unnecessary injuries."

Smiling, Robin began, "Thank you, Chrom. As I was saying before we're disgustingly outnumbered...but maybe if we can cut down their numbers through a series of ambushes, we can work much more effectively."

Frederick, of course, was the first to ask questions. "And how do you suggest we do that?"

Robin smirked and reached into her purple robes. "With this!" She pulled out a thunder tome. "Their men are mostly clustered together, so if one man's down, the others will look for the source of the attack. That's when we strike. I'll sneak in and deliver the first blow, and once their focus is on me, you guys will come in from behind."

I was awestruck. "Wait, you know _magic_?!"

"I apparently do."

"What do you mean by _apparently_?!"

Chrom laughed at my confusion. "Hey, we decided to trust her this far. I think this plan could work…but...are you really okay with acting as bait, Robin?"

Robin's face radiated with confidence. "I'll do whatever it takes to help you guys. You saved me, after all."

* * *

The first group of brigands were chatting near a market stall. Chrom and I hid in an alleyway across from Robin and Frederick (he didn't want either of us alone with a "suspicious character"). I could only use staves at the time, but the things those brigands said made me want to march out there and take them on myself. "The boss is letting me keep the lady I found," I heard one of them growl, "tonight's gonna be so much fun!"

Chrom knew me so well and he offered me a goofy grin to help ease my anxieties and disgust. "Lissa, it's okay, I'll make sure that woman is safe." I nodded, but the pit in my stomach continued to grow. I couldn't stand these parts of human nature.

Robin nodded to Chrom, who nodded back. "Please be careful…" I heard him whisper.

Then, in a flash of light, Robin dashed into the market street, the pages of her tome whipping open with her momentum. " _THUNDER_!" she screamed, and electricity pierced the chest of the man closest to her; there was no doubt that he was dead. The other bandits turned around only to see a woman with a tome towering over their dead ally. Everything was going exactly as Robin's plan predicted.

"Oh, I thought we already took all the women in this town," one man snarled as he approached her, striking his palm with his wooden club. "I didn't think we'd find anyone this feisty. Boys, whaddaya think we should do with her?" Their lustful laughs and chuckles were answers enough as Robin slowly backed away. "Well, little miss murderer, I think it's time you taste your own medicine. Let's go, boys!" The men charged at her, screaming and swinging their weapons while Robin began to run.

Chrom panicked. "She's running!" he whispered to me, "why hasn't she given the signal?"

I knew why: she was waiting for them to pass the alleyway so we could strike them from behind, but she _really_ looked like she was in trouble. "C-Chrom!"

"No," he said to me, "we decided to trust her, and we're not going to give up on that trust now."

It seemed like an eternity later when we finally heard her signal. "CHROM, FREDERICK, GO!" The two rushed out from the alleys, catching all the brigands completely by surprise. I was just a cleric at the time, so I watched as their weapons clashed, cringing every time I heard the sound of metal crashing against metal. With Robin at their front and Chrom and Frederick behind them, no brigand could escape. Robin's magic pierced through her enemies…and that was the moment I knew that I had to learn from her. Chrom's deflected the strikes of his foe's axe and Frederick slashed through one man's arm with the point of his spear.

It was only a matter of time before the brigands surrendered.

Once we had all of them in custody, the townspeople invited us in celebration. "Three cheers for the saviors of Southtown!" one man exclaimed in jubilee. "I'll prepare a feast for our heroes!" I heard a woman shout.

I was excited—when we went out on patrol, we practically lived only on fire roasted bear meat, and let me tell you, it's not exactly the greatest tasting protein out there. I was ready to eat like a princess again. But, of course, Frederick rushed us out of town before I could even get a single bite. "We're in a rush to get back to Ylisstol," Frederick declared, "we appreciate the offer, but we really must get going." He turned to my brother and me. "Don't you want to hurry and see your sister again?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Yeah…I guess Emm will have good food for us back home." I sighed as my stomach rumbled in agony.

After a few hours' worth of travel, we decided to set up camp a few miles away from the capital. Frederick began to stink the place up with bear meat. Illuminated by only the light of a strange smelling campfire, Chrom turned to Robin. "Hey, I was thinking…that strategy really saved our hides today. Frederick won't admit it, but he was impressed, too!"

"M-Milord!"

I chuckled at how Frederick's face began to redden. "Anyway," my brother continued, "the Shepherds could really use a tactician like you." He held out his right hand, smiling a Robin as she gnawed on bear meat. "So, how about it? You willing to join us?"

Robin looked up at the stars, gazing at the little white speckles in the sky. "I don't have anywhere to go…and even if I did, it's not like I could remember where that place is. I didn't even know my name until a few hours ago. But…you guys trusted me almost immediately…well, save for Frederick." He was still a bit red from Chrom's earlier comment. "So…yeah. I'd be willing to stay with you for a while longer. Maybe I can figure my memory problems while I'm with you guys. Who knows?" Smiling, she looked straight into my brother's eyes and took his hand to shake.

After that night, Chrom and Robin were practically inseparable…they were the very definition of "best friends." Robin even started teaching me magic! Yeah…Robin was pretty great…

* * *

Lucina stared in awe at her aunt as she finished her story, amazed with the world before she was born. "Robin must have been a really great friend of my father's…"

"Honestly, I'm surprised they never married. They would always be together both on and off the battle field…maybe he viewed her more like a sister?"

Lucina's smirked, her eyes narrowing just slightly. "Or maybe she just rejected him." Lissa roared with laughter; if only she could have been able to the see the look on her brother's face as his own daughter teased him! Maybe she was starting to rub off on Lucina. Tears were practically running down her cheeks when Lucina spoke up again. "So what happened to Robin? Do you know where she is now?"

The tension in the cavern returned once again, looming over the two women like a shadow. "I…I don't know. She disappeared shortly after you were born. Maybe something was triggered in her memory…maybe she returned to her home. I haven't seen her since."

Lissa felt an immense guilt…here she was again, lying to Lucina about her past. It was her right to know, and Lissa knew it. Yet still…she couldn't bring herself to tell Lucina that the woman she raved about, a person she painted as a hero, was her father's murderer.


	9. Fate in Hand

**Author's Note:** I'm so sorry this is late! This is the first time I updated after Sunday, so I mean that's a good thing, but I've been super busy in these past 3 weeks with robotics competitions, six AP classes, and a model government program, so I hope you guys can find it in your hearts to forgive me! Usually, I write about two chapters ahead just in case, but I've been so busy that I'm actually behind in writing, so that's a big yikes. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter (exposition heavy again but hey what can ya do?) and I hope that _I_ can get these chapters back on track! I hate to leave you all on a cliffhanger here, but where's the fun if there's no suspense? Reviews are always appreciated, and if you like this story, be sure to favorite and follow so you know when new chapters arrive!

* * *

When the rain calmed to a light sprinkle in the early hours in the morning, Lissa and Lucina decided to return to their journey's path, their boots still sinking slightly in the water-weakened soil as they walked. Lucina felt as if they had been walking for an eternity. Were they going the right way? Did the Mila Tree still stand after Grima's domination? Questions such as these bore at Lucina's mind, though she never vocalized them—how could she? After all that Lissa had done for her, saving her life three separate times, how could she question her? True, her origins had been kept from her for eighteen years, but she believed in the good of her aunt's intentions. And if she could believe her then, she could believe in her now.

The soft light of dawn shone throughout the mountains as the rain finally came to a halt; the two stood at the edge of the cliff as the sun rose from over the edge of the horizon. The sky was painted in pastel oranges and pinks as the glowing sun peeked through the once dark and unforgiving clouds, and Lucina couldn't help but marvel at the sight of the ethereal rays bounding endlessly through the skies. She had seen sunrises back at the village, but none as beautiful as this. Lissa grinned as she noticed Lucina's breathlessness and playfully patted her on the shoulder. "If only every morning could start like this, right?"

She nodded in agreement. "Yeah…"

Then Lissa pointed out into the horizon, a thick canopy of bright emerald green salient among the duller colors surrounding it. "That," Lissa declared, "is the Mila Tree! We're almost there, Lucina!" The leaves gleamed like gemstones in the sun, distinct from the trees surrounding it. It was the largest thing she'd ever seen; in a forest with trees that made her feel as if she was shrinking, the Mila Tree cast a shadow over the others.

Lucina took in her smallness with a deep inhale, turning to the lowering incline of the cliff. "Then let's get going." She turned her back, her marine tresses whipping around, obscuring her face from Lissa's view as she marched down the cliffside.

Gripping the straps of her satchel, Lissa sensed familiarity in her niece's voice; it was commanding, yes, but warm and determined. She smiled. Lucina was so much like Chrom. "Let's!" she said, following behind.

* * *

Morgan sat at his desk, his hands ruffling through his hair as he tried to decipher his mother's words. Her sharp tone echoed through his mind, piercing his thoughts and murking his clarity. _I'm going to show you how to kill a god._ What could she have meant? He groaned, a sweaty palm rubbing at his forehead. To kill a god…there were only two in this world: his mother and Naga. Would she…would she truly kill Naga? _Could_ she even kill Naga? Mother was a god, too…but he had always assumed her divinity made her invincible. But if two gods were to clash…Morgan just couldn't wrap his head around it.

The bustling of thoughts in his head ceased when he heard a knocking at his door. He quickly composed his buzzing emotions. "Enter," he deadpanned.

The door creaked open slowly, revealing a young man, probably not much older than Morgan himself, dressed in the traditional wine and raven-colored cloaks of the Grimleal. "Master Morgan," his voice was as fragile as his physique; yes, he looked older than Morgan, but his scrawny legs and bony body suggested otherwise. "Lord Grima requests your presence."

Morgan tilted his head. "Mother wants me? Do you know why?"

The Grimleal servant shook his head, looking to the ground. "She did not elaborate, Master. She just sent me to fetch you."

Nodding, Morgan gestured to excuse the servant. He bowed, humbling himself before his master, exiting the room in haunting silence. Morgan turned to his desk again, staring at the crinkled paper laying upon the polished mahogany; his strategy notes—he was the son of a brilliant tactician, after all—but also a web of theories about his mother's words. He sighed, turning to exit the room. More than anything, he wanted to have his sister back. And if his mother thought that killing Naga would fulfill that desire…well, he'd let his faith in Grima speak for him.

* * *

The Mila Tree had already looked enormous from a distance, but now that she was standing right before it, all other sights Lucina had witnessed paled in comparison. The trunk of the tree had to be _at least_ as wide as the home she was so familiar with, and the jade-colored leaves sparkled like gemstones under the sunlight. The tree bark was a soft gray; it looked ancient, but it showed no signs of nature's wrath. The tree's vibrancy was proof enough that Grima's rule had no influence in this place.

"Gods, it actually looks _bigger_ than it was the last time I was here!" Lissa exclaimed, her eyes roving to the tree's top. "Hopefully it's like I remember though…if we climb to the top, we should find a shrine…that's where we can find Tiki."

"Tiki?"

"Before Grima's rule, she was worshipped as the Voice of Naga. I don't think Morgan found you by some kind of coincidence," Lucina shifted uncomfortably after hearing his name, "he's a Grimleal. And I don't know about you, but maybe the best way to deal with Grima is by asking Naga what to do."

Clutching the branches of the ancient tree, they pulled themselves up. Lucina thanked Naga that she was wearing leather gloves to stop the splinters from stabbing at her skin.

* * *

The treetop greeted them with an ash colored shrine; it was a courtyard of sorts, with a large hunk of stone protruding in the middle; Lucina was shocked that a mere treetop could support its weight. The air felt clearer up there…it was pure, sweet almost, as if every breath she took had been blessed. The cool air kissed her skin.

When the pair began to walk towards the central stone, a figure became clear: a woman with lacy, scarlet garbs flowing around her body. Her long, emerald hair was tied back with a crimson ribbon, and her soft pink caped draped along her back. She sat against the stone, her head tilted to the side as she slept soundly. Her hands were set on her lap, clutching a round, azure stone.

Lucina was the first to break the silence. "Um…Miss Tiki?"

Tiki's soft eyelids fluttered open, revealing bright, almost ethereal green eyes. She rubbed at them with her glove clad hands, groaning as she stretched. She stared at Lucina. "Mar-Mar?" Her eyes suddenly widened, and she shot up to encase Lucina in her embrace. "Mar-Mar! It's been so long! I missed you so much, how have you been? Mother told me that someone was coming to visit, but I had no idea she was talking about you!"

Her excitement dwindled when she realized the puzzled look on Lucina's face. "Um…actually, my name is Lucina. I'm Chrom's daughter." _Chrom's daughter_ …the words sounded foreign, even coming from her own mouth.

Tiki released Lucina. "Oh, I'm sorry…you just…you just remind me of a close friend. You said you were Chrom's daughter? I remember him…is he here with you?"

Lissa shifted uncomfortably. "Um…n-no…I'm Lissa, if you remember me. If you could give me a moment to explain…"

* * *

Once again, Morgan stood small before the towering double-doors of the throne room. Steeling his resolve, he pushed the doors in. His mother sat upon the throne, legs crossed, her cheek gently rested on the back of her hand as her elbow sat on the arm of the throne. "Mother? You called for me?"

"Yes, I did. I'd like to discuss my plans with you. As my son, I feel obligated to teach you the ways of a master tactician directly. Therefore, I shall accompany you on your next mission."

Morgan's eyes widened. "You're—what?! We're going on a mission together?"

Robin's smirk intensified, her eyes burning a bloody crimson. "Do you not recall our last conversation? I said that _I_ would be teaching you how to kill a god. Consider yourself something like an escort."

Quickly falling to one knee, Robing knelt before Robin, his face turned towards the scarlet carpet in humility. "I'm honored, mother."

"Oh dear, no need for formalities, my son. On your feet! You're the son of a god, after all!" Morgan obeyed, straightening his back. "Although…I do appreciate your reverence. It's telling of your loyalty." Robin rose from her throne and descended the steps leading to her son. "You've been training to match my tactical prowess ever since you were a young child…perhaps now I'll put that training to the test." As she neared Morgan, he stared into her blood red eyes—a show of confidence, he figured, would help to prove his worth. "I wonder if that brain of yours can think like mine," she flicked at his forehead with her index finger; the pain was quick but sharp, reminding him that his power was nothing compared to that of a god.

Robin crossed her arms. "So, Morgan. Tell me: how did your bitch of an aunt remain elusive for eighteen years?"

"She had to lie low…her identity was kept in the shadows."

"Correct. And now that we've found her, how in the world can she keep your sister safe?"

Morgan took a moment to think. He remembered back when he saved his aunt from the Risen attack in the forest—she was a powerful mage, implying she had spent years sharpening her mind. With that kind of power, she should have been able to handle all of her attackers, theoretically speaking. Then why did she need saving? There were only two reasons Morgan could think of: firstly, she was vastly outnumbered; individual strength means nothing when overwhelmed by a force's sheer numbers. And secondly, based on what his mother had told him about Lissa when she would talk about her time with the Shepherds, her bubbly personality was a mere façade. His mother knew that Lissa was self-conscious—she lacked the brand of the exalt, unlike Lucina and himself. She was unconfident in herself. Considering this, what _could_ his aunt be doing to protect his sister? She was just a single woman, one who lacked much belief in herself. _Think, Morgan._ He rubbed at his chin, avoiding the flames of his mother's eyes bearing down into his soul. His eyes widened suddenly in epiphany. His answer was but a mumble: "She can't."

Robin cocked her head sideways. "Pardon?"

Morgan's right fist slammed down into his left palm. "She can't protect Lucina. Not on her own, anyway. She's alone and unconfident, she can't possibly believe that she can protect Lucina from us on her own. She must be seeking help."

Robin's grimace brought the hair on the backside of Morgan's neck to a stand. "Help from whom?"

Morgan knew exactly what answer his mother was leading him to. Without hesitation, he brought his gaze to meet with Robin's, clenching his fists. "From Naga."

* * *

Lissa was breathless after explaining all that had happened to her and Lucina…how they were found by Morgan, how he'd been pursuing them on their way to the Mila Tree, how he bore the brand of the exalt. Tiki nodded attentively to Lissa's thoughts as they poured from her throat. "Honestly…I'm not sure what to do anymore…or if I even _can_ do anything. I know I should have told Lucina about everything a long time ago, but I never thought things would go this badly. I was hoping that you, the Voice, could give us some insight."

A long pause hung in the air before Tiki's response. "I'm glad you thought to come here." She smiled gently, her warm and positive energy uplifting the spirits of both Lissa and Lucina. "In times of such darkness, it's almost rejuvenating to know that people still turn to Naga for enlightenment." She turned to Lissa, whose face was still a bit red from the shame of her failures to protect Lucina. "You've done well, Lissa. I can feel the pain and agony in your heart…coping with such untimely death, raising a child on your own…I cannot imagine how difficult your world has been. But the fact that you're here is a testament to your willpower…you're strong, Lissa, in ways that no other man or woman could ever hope to replicate." All Lissa could offer was a gentle smile. "And as for you…" TIki turned to face Lucina, who gripped at her arm with her opposite hand, "Chrom's daughter. Your aunt may have protected you for as long as you can remember, but there is something you cannot avoid: _fate_."

Confusion spread on Lucina's face, complimented by her furrowed brow. "Um…fate? Fate to do what…?"

Tiki shook her head. "That's for you to decide. It seems counterintuitive, but that's the core of fate: it is determined by the holder."

"I…I'm sorry, miss Tiki, but I'm afraid that I still don't understand."

Tiki chuckled a bit. "I wouldn't expect you to. It's a concept that some people never come to understand. Perhaps I should begin at a simpler starting point. That sword on your hip," she pointed to the Falchion as it hung below Lucina's waist, "have you any idea how to use it?"

Embarrassed, she drew the blade from its sheath, the red blush covering her face reflected in the sparkling metal. "I…I heard my father's voice once. It was strange, but it was like the sound of his voice guided my hands. I can swing it, maybe kill an animal or two, but I'm not exactly a capable swordswoman. I think anyone could wield this sword better than I can."

"That's where you're wrong." In a swift flash, Tiki grabbed the hilt of the Falchion and wrenched it from Lucina's hands. Lucina staggered backwards, as Tiki swung around, bringing the sharp end of the blade to meet her arm.

Lissa ran to interfere. "Wait, what are you—"

But it was too late; the blade had already made contact with Lucina's arm. But Lucina felt no pain, save for a dull smack. The sword virtually bounced off of her body, falling from Tiki's grasp onto the stone floor. "What…?"

"Have you ever managed to cut anything with the Falchion, Lucina?"

Puzzled, she answered. "Y-yes, of course…it's a sword after all."

"The Falchion chooses who is worthy to wield it. And only in the hands of the worthy will it be sharp enough to cut. In the hands of someone deemed unworthy—myself, for instance—it dulls like a stone tossed by the waves of the sea. You have been chosen, Lucina, whether you are aware of the fact or not. Now, what you choose to do with this fact is at your own discretion."

She looked back at the sword, which shimmered under the sunlight of the forest. She thought of Lissa, how she had dedicated her own life to protecting her. She thought of her father, how he had fought valiantly for his beliefs and led his people with kindness. She thought of herself; what would she become? Could she ever live up to the honor of her aunt and father? What did she have to offer the world? She took a breath. Fate was unavoidable…but _she_ had the power to control it. To challenge it. To create it. In that moment she steeled her resolve. "Just as the Falchion chose me, I choose the Falchion. Whatever the destiny of one who wields this sword might be, I choose to fulfill it."

Smiling, Tiki closed the space between them so quickly that Lucina didn't notice until their faces were mere millimeters away from each other. "And fulfill it you will."

The last thing Lucina remembered was Tiki's fingers pressing gently on her forehead before everything around her went dark.


	10. A Familiar Voice

**Author's Note:** Once again, sorry this is late, like I said before I'm really playing catch up and I'm graduating soon so I'm doing a lot of college stuff right now. Also, exams are coming up really soon, so needless to say I'm busy! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it (I know it's a little shorter than usual, but I really like this one). This was a really fun one to write and introduces a lot of new plot elements, so I really hope you like it! As always, reviews are appreciated, and if you liked this chapter, be sure to favorite this story to get notified when a new chapter is up!

* * *

When Lucina awoke, she was no longer surrounded by the shrine atop the Mila Tree. Her back was not pressed against the cool stone floor she had seen earlier, but instead against the bristly yet soft touch of dew tipped grass. She didn't feel drowsy or groggy; she strangely felt energized and refreshed. Gently lifting herself upward, she realized that wherever she had woken up, there was no sign of Tiki or Lissa. Controlling her panicked breaths, she noticed that the bag that held her belongings was gone. Struck with confusion, she shook her head and pinched her cheek. _This has to be a dream_ , she kept telling herself, _there's no other explanation._

But her reddened cheek told her otherwise.

She breathed deeply, taking in her surroundings with every heaving inhale. She was in a forest, not unlike where she had been before, but it wasn't the same place she had trekked with her aunt. No; the forest before was darker and ominous, as if someone would strike them at any given moment. But wherever she was now, the world seemed much more ethereal. Blades of grass rustled gently in the serene breeze and the soft morning mist surrounding the forest ground mystified the atmosphere. The air here was much like the Mila treetop—energizing, clear, and refreshing. But still, Lucina was enveloped in unfamiliarity.

 _What happened before I woke up?_ She asked herself. _Miss Tiki had taken the Falchion and…_ the Falchion! Her hand rushed to the side of her hip to find the blade's hilt, but was greeted with nothingness. Only its scabbard remained hanging at her side, and empty home to the holy blade. Sighing, she crossed her arms and thought of what she could do. She began to talk aloud to herself. "I'm not sure where I am and I can't find either aunt Lissa or miss Tiki…all of my stuff is gone…what can I do? Why am I here in the first place?" She paced in a circle, hoping movement would get her mind running. "I can't stay here…I don't even know where _here_ is. I guess the only thing I can do is find my way out of this mess myself." Satisfied with her decision, she began to walk past the trees in a direction she didn't even know.

The further she descended into the wood, the more unreal everything seemed to become. The mist blurred the ground at her feet, the leaves of the trees blended together. Other than the crunch of grass under her boots and the branches swaying slowly in the breeze, she heard nothing. No warbling birds, no scurrying rodents, no gallop of deer. She hadn't seen any signs of life either, save for the plants surrounding her. Her panic became more evident with each step she took: bead of sweat began to run down the back of her neck, and the pit in her stomach began to grow larger.

The scene around her began to change after an hour (Lucina thought it was an hour, at least…she really couldn't tell) of aimless travel. The congregations of trees began to thin out, the mist began to dissipate. _Perhaps a change in scenery,_ she thought, _means that whatever I'm doing, it's the right thing._ Although, she was unsure if there was even a "right thing" for her to do.

She became a bit more confident in her actions when she came across what looked to be a shrine. The stone was worn, evidence of its susceptibility to the assaults of time and the elements. Lucina noticed a statue of a man, its marble littered with cracks, and what was once an outstretched arm rolled over on the ground at its side. The man's face was the most obvious victim of deterioration: other than a protruding hunk of stone that could barely be identified as a nose, his facial features were undiscernible. He stood upon a thick marble pedestal, its assumedly once sharp and distinct vertices now smooth and rounded. Her eyes drifted towards what seemed to be the front face of the pedestal, which was inscribed with lettering so worn it was nearly illegible. "M…TH: …TH...HE…O…K…NG" was all that Lucina could make out. She didn't know why, but the essence of the statue reminded her of the stories that her aunt would tell her when she was young.

Then, like metal pulled to a magnet, she saw it: jutting out from a rough boulder, it gleamed, the golden hilt illustrious in the sunlight. Falchion.

She approached the boulder, observing the blade. How did it even get there in the first place? She still held its sheath…what in the _world_ was happening?

Her moment of confusion was interrupted when she heard a voice. "So…you are the child who holds the fate of this world in her hands?" Lucina spun around, only to be greeted by no one.

Her voice shaking, she shouted into nothingness. "Who…who are you?! Show yourself!"

"My," the voice spoke, "a bit demanding, aren't we?" But she didn't sound offended—in fact, she sounded motherly, comforting…serene. "Peace, my child. You've no need to fear…although you cannot see me now, you know deep in your heart that I have been by your side for all time, watching over you, protecting you, guiding your every move."

Lucina's eyes widened in realization. "…Naga?"

The voice laughed. "Ah, yes. I'm glad you could figure it out on your own."

The tension in Lucina's shoulders vanished, and she turned back to face the Falchion. "You said that the fate of the world is in my hands, but…what can I do? I was raised in seclusion; my life was of a simple villager until a few days ago. It was sheer luck that I wasn't taken by Morgan. I may have heard the voice of my father once, but still…that couldn't be enough to teach me to wield this sword properly. I don't even know where to begin…am I supposed to kill Grima? I just have so many questions. I want to help—for the sake of my kingdom's future, for the sake of my aunt's resilience, and for the sake of my father's sacrifice—but where do I even start?"

Naga's voice was a calm air that blew through Lucina's sea-colored locks. "If it's a matter of where to start, then you're looking at it."

With those words, Lucina understood what to do. She looked down at her hands, sheathed in navy fingerless gloves. Were these truly the hands that bore the world's fate? As she was right now, she couldn't say for sure, but for the sake of all those who wanted to end this era of darkness, she gripped the sword's hilt, and with the force of Naga's will itself, pulled it from its stone prison. She smiled, seeing her reflection in the metal, once again wondering if her own face at all resembled her father's. She lowered the blade, sheathing it into the scabbard beside her hip. It was strange how comforting it felt to have Falchion back at her side—she hadn't noticed it before, but she almost felt incomplete without its weight hanging at her hip.

"Now," Naga said, "it is important that you can use this sword. Before, you were able to connect with your father through me. You have an incredibly strong resolve, which is what allowed you to speak with your father that time. But, as you said, a father's voice is not enough to train you properly…that's something account for. And so, I've provided you with a place to train: behind this shrine, there is a field for you to try your hand at swordplay."

Lucina frowned, "With all due respect, Lady Naga, I'm unsure if I could train myself properly on my own."

"Oh, don't worry about that," she replied with a slight giggle, "you'll find that I've also brought along someone who is quite capable of training you."

Lucina tilted her head. "Who?"

"Now, that's something you're just going to have to find out for yourself, my child." she said, almost mischievously.

Unable to coax an answer from the goddess, Lucina complied, ascending a flight of stone steps (which were just as weathered as the rest of the shrine) and trying to relax the tension in her mind. The stairs led straight up a hill, which Lucina noticed plateaued at the top.

The field was large, laden with emerald blades of grass and filled with the same clear air. It was wide, spanning across the horizon and out of visibility; she couldn't discern where the field ended. Its sheer size was almost alarming.

But Lucina's focus was instead on the figure across the field, whose silhouette grew nearer. Lucina began to walk towards it, intending to meet it in the middle. As the silhouette came into focus, she began notice the figure's finer details. He was a man, based on his tall and muscular physique and carved out jawline. His dark blue tunic matched with his hair, and white straps held into place a cape that draped over his left shoulder. His eyes were the color of the sea, and his neck was framed by a gold rimmed collar at the top of his tunic. His hands were hidden within leather gloves, both colored in the same palate as the rest of his wardrobe.

When they were standing face to face, Lucina noticed that the man only looked a few years older than her…twenty, twenty-one years old maybe? The man stared into her eyes, saying nothing. The silence was almost deafening, and Lucina thrust her right hand out to greet him. "Uhm…my name is Lucina. Perhaps Lady Naga told you about me?"

But the man merely stared, taken aback by the young woman before him. Lucina never imagined that someone could be this speechless.

"I'm…I'm so sorry Lucina," the man finally said, his voice filled with shame and regret. "Here I am, given an opportunity I never thought I would get, and I don't even know what to say. You really do deserve more from me than a sword and a world of troubles."

Finally, Lucina noticed the man's right shoulder, which was left exposed from the white cape. There, crimson as a summer sky, was the Brand of the Exalt, a twin to the one embossed within her eye. "Father?" she said, disbelief evident as we gasped.

A gentle smile widened across the man's lips. "It's been eighteen years, hasn't it, Lucina?"

Just hearing him say her name was proof enough that this was real. As tears began to streak down her face, she rushed into her father's embrace, wrapping her arms around his torso as she cried. He was warm, she noticed, as she nuzzled against his chest. He was in front of her, as real as the sword at her side, embracing her as a normal father would his child. "I…" she managed to gasp out between sobs, "father…"

He wiped the tears from her eyes. "I never thought I'd be able to hear you call me that. It's strange but…I like it."

And as they stood there, daughter in her father's arms, Lucina knew that wherever she was, Naga was always smiling upon her.


	11. Smile

**Author's Note:** Okay I lied, _this_ has been my favorite chapter to write so far. To make up for last week's shorter chapter, this one is almost twice as long and jam-packed with content! Although, quick trigger warning, there is a mention of implied rape in this one (although it _is_ just a quick mention…but it's also a pretty big plot point), and that's one of the reasons I decided on rating this story with an M. But other than that, I hope you all enjoy! Reviews are always appreciated and if you liked to chapter, give it a follow and get notified when the next chapter is up!

* * *

The sound of metal crashing against metal echoed over the field. Lucina, trying to parry her father's vicious slew of attacks, had finally gotten her father to a stalemate, their blades screeching as neither could overwhelm the strength of the other. "Wow," Chrom huffed, "you're starting to get pretty good at this."

Smirking, Lucina replied, "Oh, father, you're much too kind, but…" remembering her previous fight with Morgan, she rose her boot and sent her heel into her father's gut, sending him flying across the field, "perhaps 'pretty good' is a bit of an understatement!"

Hacking and trying to regain control of his breath, Chrom gasped, "okay, maybe you're right. But did you really have to hit me that hard?"

"Maybe not, but it was pretty funny anyway."

"Gods, you're just like Lissa! Not as delicate, though."

They both laughed. Neither of them could even begin to imagine that they would ever be able to laugh together before. They cherished this moment dearly.

Ever since they had first met each other on the hilltop field, they had been training nonstop; Naga's power kept them constantly energized and hydrated and healed any wound they received almost immediately. There was no need for breaks when they could spar like this endlessly, and besides, Lucina found it fun being able to spend time with her father. They had spent more than a month in Naga's realm.

Lucina was also a fast learner, a fact that Chrom would comment on often. Techniques that took him months to master took her mere days, and although she kept asserting that she had already figured out most of the basics back in the woods when she heard his voice, he was convinced that it was a natural predisposition. True, when she had first displayed the little knowledge she had of swordplay, it was only barely passable (it was effective, but definitely not efficient), but Chrom knew that all she lacked was someone to teach her in proper. And now that he was able to mentor her, she had all the tools she needed to become a great swordswoman. She had all the pieces, it just took a bit of help from Chrom for her to put them all together.

As Chrom pushed himself up off the ground and brushed the dirt off of his trousers, Naga's voice echoed through the sky. "Like father, like daughter. So, Chrom, what do you think?"

"She picks things up fast, that's for sure. Her technique is so clean, it's strange to think that she just began to learn swordplay. It's like she's been doing it her whole life!" He glanced at his daughter sheepishly.

Blushing, Lucina stammered, "O-oh, it's…I can't be nearly as good as you, father. I still need to work at it."

He neared Lucina, sheathing his own Falchion. "That's nonsense, Lucina. Your fluidity, strength, and even your general battle smarts…you're absolutely amazing!"

"He's right, Lucina," Naga's voice resounded, "true, it's only been a month, but I sincerely believe you are capable of much more than you give yourself credit for. You are powerful, Lucina, in more ways than one."

"But…"

Before she could say anything, Chrom interrupted. "Let's try this: we'll spar one final time. I promise, I won't hold back, but only under one condition: you have to fight as if your life depends on it. Right now, we'll fight with the intention to subdue, but you must have the mentality to kill. Do these conditions sound good to you."

Nodding, Lucina drew Falchion before her, readying her stance. "That's acceptable to me, father."

Smiling, Chrom did the same. "Good. Then let's get this started." Without hesitation, he unsheathed his Falchion and, twirling it until its point faced his foe, lunged towards Lucina. She quickly brought her own blade to her side, deflecting her father's blow, and turned to move behind him. In one swift motion, she swept at her father's legs, to which he rolled out of the blade's path. As he turned to face her, he used his momentum to throw the edge of the blade towards her torso. She blocked the blow, but the strength of his swing was enough to knock her off balance and throw her to the side.

Lucina prevented inertia from taking its course by driving Falchion's tip into the ground, stopping her from flying any further. Again assuming an offensive stance, she leapt towards her father, a flurry of swift blows puncturing the air around them. They hacked away at each other, neither capable of successfully landing a blow. They both jumped backwards, staring each other down. Lucina rose her blade up next to her face, pointed toward her opponent. "You're a good teacher, father."

"Thanks," he began, "I really do try my—" before he could finish, Lucina lunged forward, swinging down her sword. "Woah, hold on!"

Lucina's assault didn't end. "Sorry, there's no 'holding on' in combat, father!" Her slashes were succinct and efficient, but it was an elbow to his face that brought Chrom to the ground. His Falchion flew from his hands out onto the ground. He brought his hands to his nose as he groaned in pain. Suddenly, the point of a familiar blade was jutting towards his face, and his eyes widened. And there she was, Lucina, his daughter, standing before him on the other side of the sword.

As Naga's power brought the ache in Chrom's nose to subside, he smiled. "Well, I guess you showed me, huh?" Lucina offered her hand to her father helped to pull him up. "It's nice to know that your child is better than you. It's reassuring, almost."

Naga's voice sounded through the air once again. "I think you've been here long enough; it's one thing to spar with a willing partner, but a true battle is something different entirely."

The smile on Chrom's face faded into a stern look. "That's right, Lucina. I might have taught you everything I possibly can, but not everything I've shown you is guaranteed to work against every enemy. You need the experience of the real world. I'm not able to guide you in every possible situation. At some point, you need to be able to make split second decisions based on your own judgement."

"Perhaps it's time we send you back home, Lucina."

"Wait!" Lucina shouted. Chrom raised a brow. "We've spent this whole time solely for training but…I've never known what it was like to have a father before now. Can I just…spend some time with him? Talk with him maybe? I know I might never have this chance again…so please, could you grant me just a little bit of time to speak with him as a daughter?"

Thankfully, Naga smiled upon her again. "Of course, take the time you need. Whenever you are ready to return home, just call for me."

Her voice almost whisked away, leaving the former exalt and his child alone in the silence.

* * *

"So, father, what was life like before I was born? Sure, I've asked aunt Lissa thousands of times, but I want to know your perspective too." The pair sat on the steps leading down to the shrine.

"Well…" Chrom scratched at his chin, "Ylisse didn't have an active military, so we formed the Shepherds—we were just a small group of soldiers that went around the kingdom to make sure that people weren't making any trouble. My older sister, Emmeryn, she really hated fighting, but we had to have some kind of policing force, you know? And that's where we came in."

"Do you still remember everyone?"

"Oh, definitely. There were a lot of…um, let's just say 'personality,' within the group. Of course, there was me and Lissa, but we also had our personal knight, Frederick, travel with us."

Lucina nodded, "Yes, I remember aunt Lissa telling me about him."

"Oh? Did she also tell you that he loved to be a stick up our asses? They called him Frederick the Wary for a reason…he'd literally clear pebbles out of the way for us. He was suspicious of literally _anyone_ who'd even _look_ at us…that man just wouldn't take a break!"

They both laughed. "What about mother?"

A look of regretful nostalgia filled his eyes. "Sumia…damn, I could never forget the day she saved me from an onslaught of archers. She swept me off my feet…literally. She swooped in on her pegasus and plucked me off the ground before I could get myself killed. I honestly owed her my life. But…I wasn't able to protect her like she protected me. It was only a little after you were born when she died…if only I had been a little more careful…"

When Lucina realized that her father was pained by his own words, she decided to change the subject. "What about the other Shepherds? What were they like?"

Chrom's face lit up once again when she asked him. He told about Vaike, who had forgotten his weapon on his first expedition. About Sully, the tough cavalier who fought with passion and ferocity. About Stahl, who could eat an entire camp's worth of food in one sitting. About Henry and Tharja, two Plegian mages who defected from their homeland to fight for the Shepherds. About the prim and proper Maribelle, and the perfect pegasus knight, Cordelia. He told her of Donnel, the young farm boy who wore a pot on his head in battle yet quickly became one of the strongest members of their group, and of Nowi, the Manakete who looked about two thousand years younger than she actually was. Of Ricken, the young mage who had an obvious crush on Lissa. Of Panne, the Taugel woman who could morph into a beast (a beast of a bunny, that is). Of Gregor's quirky personality and of Miriel's academic prestige. He even talked about Kellam, the armored knight that, for some reason, could never be found. Though she knew the Shepherds were long gone, Lucina felt as if they were greeting her themselves the way Chrom talked about them.

But there was one person that Lucina noticed was not mentioned. "What about Robin?"

The light began to fade from Chrom's eyes. "Robin…ah, well. She was a talented tactician."

"That's all?" Lucina asked. "You spoke so highly about everyone else…why not Robin?" Chrom's eyes filled with a sadness that Lucina recognized as a sign of incurable pain. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered, "I shouldn't have asked."

"No," Chrom said, "you deserve the truth. I'm sorry I wasn't able to muster the courage to tell you up front." He took a deep breath and followed with a long, strained exhale. "What I said before was true—Robin was one hell of a tactician. She was able to see through our enemies' plans with ease, and she helped us out of more than one troubling situation. She was absolutely incredible. But her true identity was something that none of us could have guessed. She was the child of a man named Validar, a Grimleal who aimed to resurrect Grima. Robin was born to be the vessel for which Grima would take form, and so he had a certain amount of… _influence_ …over her." He looked towards the ground one final time before looking into Lucina's eyes. "She began to lose control of herself. She started _becoming_ Grima. And many of the Shepherds became skeptical, especially Frederick. But I believed in her…she had been loyal to us for so long, it would have been a disservice _not_ to. And in what was to be our final battle with Validar…she lost control again. It costed the lives of every single Shepherd, save for Lissa, who stayed at the castle watching over you. Grima gained full influence over her…and honestly, the thing I regret the most is that, just like with Sumia, I couldn't save her."

"You're…you're not upset with Robin?"

Chrom scratched the back of his head. "Hm, well, not exactly. Robin was no less a victim than anyone else who died that day. While I cannot excuse the death of my friends, I know that in the depths of her heart, she valued the Shepherds just as much as I did. If she was truly able to control it, this wouldn't have happened. I can't blame her for something that she wasn't truly responsible for. The person who killed me and my friends was no longer Robin, so I can't really be upset with her. It wasn't really her fault."

Nodding, Lucina faced her father, "I understand. I see why you were so respected as a leader, father. Trust creates the foundation of a bond, and I can tell that your bond with Robin is something that cannot be broken."

" _Is_?"

"Yes. Even now, your bond exists with such impressive strength. Like I said, it cannot be broken, even in death."

Chrom looked towards the azure sky. "Damn, Sumia, if only you could see your daughter now. Naga granted us with one incredible child." He turned back to Lucina. "Well, I don't want to keep Lissa waiting…she gets impatient when she's anxious."

"Wait!" Lucina exclaimed, "I have one more question for you."

"And what would that be?"

"There's a boy named Morgan. He keeps claiming to be my brother…that you're his father…but mother died right after I was born, correct? He must be lying, right?"

Chrom grimaced once more, unable to look Lucina in the eye. "No…he's not lying." The puzzled expression on Lucina's face was enough to prompt a more thorough explanation. "Unlike the rest of the Shepherds, Robin…or Grima, I should say, kept me alive. She used some strange type of magic…she used no tomes, just the words of her mouth. It found me unconscious and numb, and soon after, I found myself locked in a cell, unable to move or even feel my body. She kept going on about needing another vessel once Robin's body began to deteriorate. About how the mixing of fallen and exalted blood would be the ultimate mockery to Naga. And so, before she killed me…she…she ensured that I provided her with a child. I couldn't fight against it…whatever magic she used on me kept me incapacitated—I couldn't move, I had not control of my own body. And so, until the day she confirmed that she was pregnant…she forced herself upon me every night. Gods, I hope that Sumia could forgive me. I hated every moment of it…it might've been the closest thing to hell that I've ever experienced."

In silence, he reflected, and Lucina noticed that he held his breaths even longer. So Morgan truly was her brother. This definitely explained the brand he bore, but…for some reason, for the first time in her life, Lucina wished that she had gotten a half-truth.

* * *

"Ah, so are you prepared to return home, Lucina?"

"Yes, Lady Naga."

They had returned to the shrine, and stood in front of the old, weathered statue. Lucina turned to her father one final time. "I'm going to miss you…I'm glad I had this chance to see you one final time." She threw her arms around him, and he began to stroke her soft tresses. A part of her wished that this moment could be eternal, but she knew that she had to return to her world, for the sake of everyone who lost their lives battling the darkness.

"I believe in you, Lucina," Chrom whispered gently with a smile, "and I just want you to know that I love you. It's been eighteen years since I've been able to say that."

They were hesitant to break from each other's embrace, but soon enough, Lucina loosened her grip. "Well, Lady Naga, I think I'm ready to go."

Her motherly voice almost seemed to cradle Lucina. "Of course, dear."

A circle of holy light began to circle around Lucina, and slowly, she began to vanish. "Hey, Lucina," her father called out to her, "make sure you tell your aunt Lissa I say 'hi.' And…tell her that I'm sorry for breaking our promise."

Lucina nodded. "Of course. Goodbye, father." Her form faded away with three final words. "I love you."

A smile, as pained as it was, was painted across Chrom's face. "I love you, Lucina."

She was glad that a smile was the last thing she was able to see on her father's face as she was transported back to her own world.

Chrom turned to look back at the statue behind him. "She's really something else…"

"She's much like the man of that statue," Naga interjected, "even Tiki noticed it."

As Chrom began to vanish from existence, he said, "Yeah, I think she could give the Hero King a run for his money. But thank you, Lady Naga. You've watched over her for all her life, even when I couldn't. And now, I can finally say that I acted like a true father. So, thank you. I left Lucina with quite the destiny…I'm glad I was given the opportunity to help her."

"You're quite welcome, Chrom. Lucina is strong…everything rides on her now. You've done well to make sure this runs smoothly."

His form was almost entirely dematerialized. "I believe in her. The future truly is in her hands." And with that, he vanished, leaving Naga's voice unaccompanied by anyone.

* * *

Lucina's eyes flashed open; in front of her was Tiki, her fingers still pressed against her forehead. "Lucina, are you okay? You were out cold for a few seconds." Lissa was right behind her, supporting her by the shoulders.

"A few seconds?"

"Time in Naga's realm flows much more quickly than it does here," Tiki explained, "so, was your time with Mother pleasant?"

Lucina nodded quickly. "Yes…it was wonderful."

"What happened?" Lissa asked.

She turned to face her aunt as she released her shoulders from her grip. "Well…in short, father says 'hi,' and he says that he apologizes for breaking his promise. I'm not entirely sure what he was talking about, but—"

"That dummy," Lissa interrupted, "did he really think he had to apologize for that? Of course I'd forgive him!" Tears filled her eyes, and Lucina took her aunt into her embrace.

"Father is doing well. He's doing very well. He taught me many things while I was with Naga. I'm going to fix this world, I swear it."

And so, there they were, atop the Mila Tree. The last remaining Shepherd and the woman who swore to bring balance back to the world.

But for now, Lucina tried to engrave the sight of her father's smile into her mind.


End file.
